KINGDOM HEARTS THE FINAL BATTLE
by Taimat23
Summary: A darkness looms over Destiny Island. From the ashes of destruction, a forgotten enemy of the past comes for revenge, to slay the Child of Darkness and consume all worlds into everlasting shadow.
1. PROLOGUE PART I

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**PROLOGUE PART I**_

It had been six years since the end of the ordeal with the Empire. In those six years, peace and prosperity began to blossom again. Within the Disney Kingdom, King Mickey reigned supreme over his people, leading wisely and compassionately. Unlike many other kings of other realms, who were at times despotic and tyrannical, Mickey was always able to maintain a sense of justice and knew how to contend with the problems his people faced. Unlike most other royals, he was very generous and would go out to the streets to greet the people personally. The people would bow to him in respect rather than fear. The times were good and the kingdom had reached a state of stability.

It was on this particular day that Mickey began to address his subjects, telling them of the good future to come. The people gathered in front of the grand palace to hear their king speak. King Mickey, with his Queen Minnie, head wizard Donald, and Goofy, captain of the palace guards, beside him, stood tall before the crowd. He raised his hands into the air.

"My people," he began, "luck smiles upon our beloved kingdom this fine day. It has been six years since the ordeal we faced when the eminent threat of the Dark Empire was upon us. We seemed so vulnerable and helpless when this great threat was knocking on our doorstep. However, thanks to the efforts of our allies and our friends in other dimensional realms, our combined strengths were able to fend off this cunning scourge. We now gather, six years from that era of chaos, to celebrate the prosperity of the kingdom. For this, I wish you all the best of wishes to you and your family and friends."

"Hail, King Mickey!" the crowd shouted. "Hail, King Mickey! Long Live the King!" The cheering increased, but Mickey only raised his hand, gesturing to the masses to quiet down for he still had much to say to them.

"This day, I declare our independence day!" he continued. "Each and every one of you has contributed for the good of this kingdom. You reaped and sewed the soil you live on. You have shown great support to me. In gratitude, I have always stepped aside and lowered myself of high position to hear of your opinions. How to make this world better, how to make our kingdom better than it ever was before. You should not be thanking me for I have done very little to be given such praise. You should thank yourselves. Thank yourselves for all the achievements you have done to better your own lives as well as the lives of your neighbors! It was because of you that our kingdom has remained untouched for the passed six years. And let us continue to prosper and work for the sake of the kingdom, to keep the kingdom strong and keep it a nice place to live. And let us hope that there will be an everlasting peace for us all in the future to come."

There was a loud roar and the people cheered away at the King. Mickey raised his hands, greeting the people and again there was a great uprising in the praising voices of his subjects.

"That was such a brilliant speech, your majesty." Donald uttered.

"You have done well to keep our kingdom strong." Queen Minnie replied, kissing King Mickey on the cheek. Mickey blushed.

"Ah shucks, Minnie." Mickey uttered.

At the same time, however, another individual was watching the king make his speech as well from a television monitor. This dark individual clicked off the screen and sat there in the dark, slightly chuckling for himself.

"I commend you, King Mickey." he uttered in a sinister and mechanized whisper. "You certainly know how to motivate the people don't you. There is nothing wrong with wishing for everlasting peace, but the fact of the matter remains. Is the universe ready to embrace such an ideal?"

"Then, it would be best if we show them otherwise right, my lord?" said the subordinate next to him. "Soon, the Disney Kingdom will experience a rude awakening, will it not?"

"Yes it will." The figure sipped wine from a golden bauble. "My late master had entrusted me with the radical ideal of changing the face of the universal society structure completely. It is not right that some may live in peace while others are purged into war. What right does King Mickey and his subjects have to live in peace when others are suffering and dying out there? In the realm where the Z team dwells, there are still conflicts against factions of the former Dark Empire. Not only do the factions fight the alliance, but they also do battle against one another as well. Well, that will change in the time of my coronation. Once I have established myself within the Disney Kingdom, I will be able to link to other worlds without the Universal Alliance being the least bit suspicious of my activity. Then, once I have gained enough ground, I will use my full force to destroy the leaders of the battling Imperial factions and unite all the regions of the former Dark Empire. Just as his Excellency, Master Cavendish did before. Then, once the factions are unified under my banner, I will attack the alliance itself and destroy the only other power that stands between me and total domination. Even the Z team will not be able to stop me without the help of the Universal Alliance."

"An excellent plan, my lord." The subordinate uttered. "We will be domineering over these dimensional realms in no time."

"But first thing is first. I must also rid myself of all possible obstacles that may pose a threat to me. Especially…him."-

"Him?"-

"The one who stole my pride those many years ago. I will make sure that he pays."-

"Would it not be best to attack the Disney Kingdom as you had planned?"-

"I intend to do so." The figure uttered again, sipping his wine. "We will first attack the Disney Kingdom and secure that realm in our hands. This way, our enemies do not have a remote place to fall back and regroup. Besides the Disney Kingdom, you know the other targets right?"-

"Yes, my lord." The subordinate unleashed as scroll from his sleeve. "We take over the Disney Kingdom and secure it as our headquarters. Twilight Town and Traverse Town must also be placed under our control."-

"Those are your orders. Carry them out."-

"I will inform our forces right away." The subordinate began to leave.

"Wait one moment though." the figure said. "Also, make sure that our conspirator is ready to take down our two significant foes."

"He informs me that he has hired a new man to help Archibald and him to carry out with their mission. A former Imperial I think he is."

"Well done." The figure stood up from his chair. "Now get going."

"Yes, my lord." The subordinate left the room, leaving his lord alone in the dark. The figure sipped from his cup again.

"Soon, my dream will be fulfilled along with my vengeance." He uttered to himself. "We will see which one of us is worthy to bear that same name."

It wasn't long before the day of celebration in the Disney Kingdom had grown sour. In the midst of their celebration, the people's joys were shattered when exploding shells began to rain down upon the streets of the city. King Mickey could only watch in horror as he saw the shells bursting upon his people.

"Your majesty!" Goofy cried. "We gotta get you out of here!"

"Hurry!" Donald added.

"But my people…" Mickey said. "I can't leave them to this slaughter…"

"Please my dear." Queen Minnie uttered. "The people would be disheartened if you were killed…"

"I suppose you are right."-

Mickey and the others withdrew into the safety of the castle. At the same time, the armies of the kingdom rushed forth to defend the inhabitants from further annihilation. However, their efforts were in vain as the hordes of enemy troops began to swarm into the streets, overwhelming any resistance that dared to stand in their way. The thin lines of loyalist troops easily fell to the oncoming threat. Thousands of civilians rushed into the walls of the palace, many being shot in the back by attacking forces. The loyalist armies fought as best they could, but the oncoming horde of enemy soldiers proved to great. It wasn't long before the invading armies had demolished much of the city and were now upon breeching the gates of the castle.

"It's hopeless!" Donald cried. "Our forces are no match for such overwhelming numbers!"

"There's still a little bit of hope left." Mickey uttered. He turned to Donald and Goofy. "I want you to take the gummi and head to Oceansburg. Inform the Universal Alliance of our dire need of aid."

"But what about you, your majesty?"-

"I will stay here and support my people. The last thing that I want them to see is their king deserting them when they need me the most."-

"But your majesty…"-

"Do as I say, Donald! We haven't much time!"-

"I understand…" Donald turned to Goofy. "Well, let's go, Goofy…"

"Alright…" Goofy turned to Mickey. "I hope you'll be alright, your majesty."

"I'll be fine." Mickey looked at his frightened queen next to him. "Minnie, I want you and Daisy to accompany Donald and Goofy to Oceansburg. You will be safe there."

"No…" Minnie replied. "I will not leave you!"

"You will do as I say! I don't want anything to happen to you!"-

"I will not run away! I will stay by your side!"-

"I will too!" Daisy added. "We can't just abandon you, your majesty!"

"I will not be defied!" Mickey shouted.

"Please, Mickey!" Minnie cried, tears running down her eyes as she grasped firmly onto Mickey's arm. Mickey only smiled and placed his hand on her face.

"Very well…" he uttered with a sigh. "You may stay here and support me."

"Thank you…"-

"We will stay by your side, your majesty." Daisy said.

Mickey then turned to Donald and Goofy.

"Well, get going." Mickey said. "Time's growing short for us."

"We will return." Donald implied. "We will come back to help you!" he turned to Goofy. "Let's go!"

"Right behind ya!" Goofy chuckled. The two bounded for the gummi ship.

At the same time, the thundering sound of pounding shells began to lash at the wall. The sound of battle continued as the loyalist fought off the forces of the invaders. Slowly, the walls began to crumble brick by brick and the eminent danger began to draw nearer.

Donald and Goofy reached the launch pad where a gummi sat waiting for them. Donald jumped in and ignited the rockets. In the meantime, Goofy looked over the railing to see masses of enemy troops pounding against the wall of the castle.

"Hurry up, Goofy!" Donald ordered. "Stop gawking and let's get going!"

"But Donald…" Goofy uttered.

"The more time we waste standing around, the more time is lost for our chances to rescue the king and this kingdom!"-

"Looky there!" Goofy pointed towards the banners of the hordes. Donald joined him and gazed at the insignia of the enemy.

"But that's…" upon the crest of the fluttering banners, was the familiar shape of a cross. The Imperial Cross of Conquest, which was the symbol of the late Dark Empire. And silhouetting behind that symbol was the familiar shape of the Heartless insignia. Donald and Goofy cold only fear what the meaning behind the banner and the purpose of the attack was. "Could it be that…the Dark Empire and the Heartless have finally combined to form one great power?"

"Gawrsh… I hope not…" Goofy uttered.

"We have no time for this right now. We have to get going. The fate of our nation depends upon us."-

"I gotcha!"-

Goofy and Donald hesitated no further and jumped into the gummi ship. The rockets ignited and the little vessel lifted off at light speed.

In the meantime, the walls of the palace had finally collapsed and the hordes of enemies began to pour into the castle grounds. Queen Minnie and Daisy escorted the people into the safety of the palace halls. At the same time, Mickey took personal charge of the royal guards and prepared to battle. Using the power of his new keyblade, the _'Garion Concorte Noria,'_ he prepared to strike down all enemies who dared to stand in his way. Forming the Gatotsu stance, Mickey led his troops into battle."

"Today, we fight to the bitter end!" Mickey shouted. "For your families, for your homes, and for your country, we fight! We fend off the second invasion of our nation!" Mickey rushed forward, his guards swarming behind him in hordes. They met the face of the enemy and fighting began to ensue on the castle grounds. But the royal guards, despite their gallantry and their dedication to king and country, could not gain even a toehold in the fight. They fought as best they could. Mickey, who was in the fray of the fight, took down a hundred, or more enemy troops, but to fight against so many minions. The small force of royal guards, numbering only up to seven hundred had to confront a force that was fifty times larger. To add, the bombardment of the castle did not stop. Slowly, but surely, defeat was eminent. Though the enemy took more casualties against the veteran royal guards, their number were easily replaced by reserves. The guards themselves, however, could not contend with even one loss on their side. But still, despite being outmatched and outnumbered, they continued to fight, slowly being pushed back to the castle itself. Fighting slowly mellowed down though as one guard after another fell, but not before taking out ten to thirty times his, or her figure. The sound of battle died out completely, when Mickey and his guards found themselves completely surrounded by an angry horde of invaders. They clustered together in a tight circle, their weapons drawn out against their foes. But by this time, the battle had ended and no one man or woman dared to attack.

"You have fought bravely." A voice suddenly uttered amidst the enemy horde. "But you must realize by now that continuing to resist would be a futile effort. There is no need for you to needlessly throw your lives away for the sake of a cause you know is already lost. Your kingdom is in shambles and your lands are firmly under my control. What would be the point of you dying here, when there is no chance for you? Certainly, you may die honorably, but is that really how you want your lives to end? And what of your families? Do you want them to feel the pain in losing you? I think that would be the last thing that you want for your loved ones. To have them suffer more than they already have." It was then that the invaders split to form a long corridor. From their masses, a man dressed in grey and black came forth. Upon his head was a masked helmet, black and gothic, with glass eyeholes that reflected the glimmer of the sun.

"Who are you?" Mickey asked.

"I am the one responsible for leading the attack on this kingdom." He subtly replied. "And you must be the venerable King Mickey that I have heard so much about."

"What is it that you want from me? Why have you attacked us?"-

"For the sake of universal domination as well as to plunge this world back into darkness."-

Mickey then saw the familiar insignia on the man's shoulder. It was the crest of the Empire and the crest of the Heartless intertwining with one another, almost mixing with one another to make a single symbol. He gazed about to see that same symbol inscribed upon the banners of the horde.

"Are you of the Dark Empire, or of the Heartless?" Mickey asked.

"You may say that I am half and half." The figure uttered, "Fulfilling the wishes of my late master as well as fulfilling my own wishes and desires. This day, I will create a new era for my ambition. I will create a new era for the sake of his late Excellency, Master Cavendish, and for my late master!"

"Who is your late master?"-

"That little matters to you." The figure stepped forward. "Here are my terms. If you and your men lay down your arms and grant me your unconditional surrender, I will see to it that their lives, as well as the lives of you and your people are spared. However, should you refuse to do so, I will see to it that each any every one of you are executed. Every man, woman, and child." Mickey could only sneer, but he was in no position to resist.

"Lay down you arms…" he uttered in shame. The guards hesitated for a minute before laying down their arms and placing their hands behind their heads.

"King Mickey. If you would care to join me," The man uttered, "I would like to take a look at the palace." Mickey walked by his side, head down. The man went with a handful of his soldiers, up the stairs, to the grand gates of the palace itself. In the meantime, the remaining of the royal guards were escorted out of the palace grounds and placed in an area, deep behind enemy lines, where they could be of no use for aid, should an uprising occur.

The party entered the grand hall of the palace, the people still there, watching with fear and hatred in their eyes at this villain who had so ruthlessly attacked their kingdom.

"Escort these people out." The man said. "Have them placed in our internment camps. And if there is to be any resistance, kill those in rebellion and a hundred others to make an example."


	2. PROLOGUE PART II

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**PROLOGUE PART II**_

"Yes, Sir." one of the officers replied. He then deployed his men to round up the people within the palace and escort them out.

"You are a cruel man." Mickey said. "Just because people refuse to do what you tell them, you can render their lives expendable?"

"The lives of peasants are nothing to me." the commander said. "I could care less if one, or all of them died."

"You monster."-

"Empty insults only fan the flames."-

"Mickey!" Minnie cried, running into his arms.

"Minnie." he uttered. He embraced her tightly.

"I see you are well loved." The evil man said. "But as if that really matters now though."

The band moved about the grand halls of the palace and into the throne room. The throne room was vast, with great tapestries decorating the wall. A red carpet stretched from the main door to the thrown itself. The party walked ever closer to the golden chair.

"So this is where you seat yourself during the grand processions you throw, eh?" the commander chuckled. He halted the party, keeping Mickey and Minnie at bay. He stepped up to the thrown and sat down gently in it. "I could get quite used to this."

"How could you just disgrace something sacred to us that easily?" Mickey asked.

"That's quite simple, my boy. I have no concern with what is sacred to you. I could easily dispense with your sacred relic as easily as I can take the life of a child." The commander stood up. "As of this day forward, King Mickey, you are relieved of your position as ruler of the Disney Kingdom. You have advocated your throne to me, the new lord of a new Dark Empire." He turned to one of the other officers who had accompanied them. "Dispense with both the king and queen. I have no further use of them."

"Yes, sir." The officer replied. "Shall we kill them here, or wait for a proper date to execute them."

"On second thought, do not kill them. They may prove to be more valuable to us alive, rather than dead. Take them to our prison in Cetorburg, I'm sure that no one will go so far as to rescue them so deep within that territory."-

"Sir." The officer escorted Mickey and Minnie out of the throne room.

"You will not get away with this!" Mickey cried. "Your kind will never gain power over the people."

"You misunderstand me." The commander chuckled. "I told you before that the fates of these people are of no concern to me. I only wish to gain all of this territory. Soon, all others will fall just as easily. Then I will give rise to a power that will restore the might of the former Dark Empire."

"Who are you!"-

"If you really must know…" the man stepped from the threshold of the throne. "You may call me the Phantom Lord."

With those final words, Mickey and Minnie were taken away, the grand doors closing behind them.

Just as the doors closed, another man presented himself before the Phantom Lord. He walked at a swift pace to the throne and kneeled before his leader.

"My lord." he uttered.

"Aw, General Gryphon." the lord replied. "Have your forces been deployed to take over the key worlds needed to establish a firm expansion of our territory."

"They have, my lord. I have sent the other five generals out to engage in those campaigns against the resistance. It will not be long, however, before victory is in our grasp."-

"Then, once we have firmly established control of the marked regions, we can begin the process of creating our weapons necessary to ensure complete takeover of all the realms. But in order to fulfill that goal, we must first take out the major powers who would prove to be the greatest threat to us." The Phantom Lord walked about and then turned again to his still kneeling general. "What of our conspirators who are engaged in the key elimination of our main targets."

"I have not received word from them yet, my lord."-

"Well, I expect to hear results soon. Otherwise, I will have to make a personal appearance myself! And to place my presence before those two prematurely would be something I'd like to avoid."-

"I understand, my lord. I will see to it that word comes to you as soon as possible."-

"I want a progress report on all of our movements. I want complete details on the conflicts to which we are engaged."-

"Very well, my lord. I shall take my leave." With that, General Gryphon departed from the throne room. The Phantom Lord turned and sat back in the throne. He placed his hand on his cheek and sighed.

"It won't be long before victory is in our grasp." He chuckled to himself.

The Disney Kingdom had fallen so easily to the power of the Phantom Lord and other worlds would be on the verge of collapse as well. However, all wasn't lost for this kingdom as there was still a ray of hope. Goofy and Donald were on their way to Oceansburg to inform the Universal Alliance of its dire situation.

It wasn't long before the little gummi ship reached the walls of the grand capital city of the Universal Alliance, Oceansburg. The little gummi landed in the main courtyard of the senate building. The two stepped out of the ship and ran into the building, but they were stopped by several officers.

"You two can't go in there." One of the officers said.

"We have to get in there!" Donald shouted.

"Yeah!" Goofy added. "It's an emergency!"

"The Disney Kingdom had been taken over! Let us by! Let us by!"-

"I can't let you in without proper clearance!" the officer said again.

"What is going on here!" a voice suddenly shouted. Goofy and Donald looked to see a familiar face looking at them. It was none other than the legendary Hound of Ulster, Cuchulain.

"Cuchulain!" Donald cried.

"Officers!" Cuchulain instructed. "Unhand them!"

"Sir!" the officers replied.

"Now what is going on? Why are you in a rush?"-

"We have to see Sneer as soon as possible!"-

"Why? What's happened?"-

"Our kingdom has been overrun and taken over by an invading force!"-

"I see!" He turned to the officers. "Let these two through!"

"Yes, Sir!" the officers uttered.  
"I will escort you to see Sneer."-

"Thank you very much!" Donald implied. "It's good to know that we know people in high places!"

The three made their way to the top of the building. It was there that Sneer awaited in his office, finishing paper work, regarding military reforms. It was at this moment that the three entered his office.

"Well, Cuchulain," Sneer uttered. "What is the meaning of this intrusion?"

"We have a crisis on our hands, sir." Cuchulain replied. "Donald and Goofy are here to request and audience with you."

"Well, well, well," Sneer stood up, "It's been quite a while hasn't it. Six years I think it has been since the last time we met."

"We come begging for your assistance!" Donald began.

"Why? What has happened?"-

"Our kingdom…the Disney Kingdom has been overrun by invaders!"-

"Is this true?"-

"That's right!" Goofy added. "They attacked when we least expected it!"

"And what of your king?" Cuchulain asked.

"We don't know!" Donald said. "He ordered us to seek aid from the alliance. I don't know what has happened since."

"Could you identify who it was that attacked you?"-

"I don't know, but I think that they may have been a faction power of the former Dark Empire. Goofy and I saw this symbol on the banners that they carried into battle." Donald took a piece of paper and a pen from Sneer's desk and scribbled the best he could the symbol that was inscribed on the cloth of the flags. As soon as he presented the picture to Sneer, the alliance president knew exactly who it was that assaulted the Disney Kingdom.

"So is it confirmed?" Cuchulain asked.

"Without a doubt." Sneer uttered. "This is the symbol of the Midnight Faction! Viro's old organization! It seems that they have decided to reunite all the former followers of the Dark Empire."

"Didn't you mention earlier that out of the factions that splintered after the fall of the Dark Empire, the Midnight Faction was the one power that posed to most dangerous threat?"-

"That is correct. Out of all the factions that were formed after the collapse of the Imperial power, this one is the most dangerous and the most threatening, even to the Universal Alliance." He turned to Goofy and Donald. "It was no wonder that your kingdom fell so easily to them. The foe you had fought is the strongest of the former Imperial organizations. As reports say, the Midnight Faction has already managed to eliminate several of the other powerful factions and have their resources and manpower flock to their banner."

"It must be due to the thanks of their leader."-

"Who is their leader?" Goofy asked.

"We don't know his real name, or his identity." Sneer implied. "We only know him by the title he has declared for the public… The Phantom Lord…"-

"The Phantom Lord?"-

"Unlike many of the other faction leaders, he is the most superb and the most deadly. Unlike many who stick to the old thoughts of Imperial rule, the Phantom Lord has adopted to techniques that were considered too radical even for the upper lords of the former Dark Empire."-

"Is there anything that you can do for us?" Donald asked. "Can you send forces to help us battle these foes and regain our land?"

"The situation isn't as easy as that?" Sneer said. "Our forces have been deployed too thin as they are already. We have troops trying to fight off the forces of the former Arakis Foundation. And they pose just as great a threat as the Midnight Faction. Then there's the Red Ribbon Faction that has established itself within the Kambrian Empire. To add, there are thirty other major factions that have been harassing our coalition forces for the past six years. I can scarcely spare any man to be deployed from those areas."

"So what you're trying to tell me is that you won't do anything to help our kingdom?"-

"I never said that now did I Donald. I have every intention of helping your kingdom as much as I can. However, the fact of the matter is if we'll be able to lighten our efforts on the other areas just to help one kingdom. If I even spare one regiment of alliance troops, I weaken our other fronts. But if I don't give you aid, I only give the Midnight Faction the opportunity to strengthen their own defenses and make it harder for us to face them in the future. Even the might of the Z team is not enough to stop the chaos. Goku, Vegeta, and the others are right now trying to take out the main strength of the Red Ribbon Faction and the Arakis Foundation."-

"Please, Sneer, is there anyone whom you can spare?"-

"There are at least two whom I can spare, who'll be equally matched to at least delay the progress of the Midnight Faction. You know them well. You have journeyed with them before. Of course, it may be a little hard to persuade them from leaving their peaceful lives."-

"Are you talking about…?" Goofy asked.

"Yes. We must call upon the two keybearers to assist us once again." Sneer turned to Cuchulain. "Cuchulain, I want you to take the responsibility of retrieving them, alright?"

"I had a feeling that this might come up." Cuchulain said. "That's why I took the liberty of sending our assistant inspector to send them the message."

"Very well."-

"I have also instructed him to test their fighting skills through a trial battle of competency."-

"Then there is no time to lose." Sneer turned to Goofy and Donald. "You will accompany Cuchulain to retrieve the keybearers. Understood?"

"We gotcha!" Donald implied.

"Oh boy!" Goofy chuckled. "It'll be just like old times."

"Now there's no way that we can lose."-

"Come on, you two!" Cuchulain said. "We have no time to stand around!"

"Right behind ya!"-

The three rushed to where the gummi ship lay docked. As Sneer watched the gummi ship take off within minutes after the three had left his office, he placed his arms behind his back.

"It'll be up to those two young men to save the world from being consumed by the darkness again." He thought to himself. "Riku…Sora…"

_It was on that fateful night at Halloween Town, when the KH team confronted the Imperial forces under the command of the infamous Gatler Generals. The night was cold and foreboding, but the team went forward to destroy the infamous Apocalypse Cannon, which was being constructed by the Dark Empire, to help speed the process of conquering the Empire. The fight against the Imperials was hard and without a doubt one of the toughest fights ever to be waged against the two sides. But the most intense fighting came between Riku and Sora against the two Gatler Generals, King and Triiken. However, it was the fight between Triiken and Riku that was the most recalled. Unlike many of the opponents that he had fought in the past, this new foe that Riku faced far surpassed the skills of the foes he had fought before. Riku desperately fought against this second strongest of the Gatler generals._

"_You truly are a skilled warrior." Triiken chuckled. "Truly you are! However, it is because you are a highly skilled warrior that I cannot allow you to win! I know that by letting you emerge victorious, you will only slow down, if not halt the progress of the Empire!"_

"_I must commend you on your strength as well!" Riku replied. "Unfortunately, it is because you are strong that I can't allow you to succeed! Because I know that you would end up causing more pain and suffering if you emerge victorious and have your way!"_

"_Your sentiment is understandable, boy, but I will not lose to the likes of you!"-_

"_Funny! I feel the exact same way!"-_

"_Don't fool yourself, boy! You will be defeated this night! And your eminent defeat will come from none other than me, General Arinario Triiken, leader of the 2nd Gatler division! I shall claim your life, key bearer!" The two continued to battle against each other, clashing their swords and forcing sparks to fly. Their movements and skills were without flaws. But that was to be expected of truly talented warriors. The two clashed their swords for ten minutes, although those ten minutes seemed like an eternity, an eternity with no ending in sight. Finally, a last push came as Triiken and Riku locked their blades together, hoping that one would eventually give in. In the end, however, both jumped back and took their vigilant stances again. _

"_You're gonna have to give in sooner, or later!" Riku said. "There's no way that you'll be able to beat me!"_

"_Is that so, boy?" Triiken chuckled. "Then you truly haven't seen the full extend of my skills arsenal." Triiken suddenly crouched down, extending his right leg in front of him and placing the whole of his body weight upon his left leg. He stuck out his left elbow, drawing his blade back. He then, grasped the bottom side of his sword, almost reaching the tip of the blade and nuzzling it between his thumb and index finger. "Your death is assured this night, key bearer." _

_It was at that moment that Triiken lunged with all his might. Riku was almost caught off guard as he suddenly saw Triiken thrust the blade in front of him with great intensity. It seemed as if in slow motion as Riku saw the blade suddenly appear only a few inches away from his face. There was a sudden pause, as if time seemed to stand still._

"_This attack…" Riku uttered. "This attack…could it be…?"_

_There was a sudden flash of light._

It was at that moment that Riku awoke from his bed. His chest and arms were covered in sweat and he sat up in his bed, heavily breathing as if something had scared him. Riku looked out of his bedroom window to see a storm begin to form. Lightning and Thunder bellowed in the air. He stood up, shirtless, wearing only a pair of blue jeans. He walked to the window and stood out on the little balcony of his room. He could feel the wind continuing to blow.

"It was all a dream." Riku uttered to himself. "A dream about the past. But I've had these dreams before. Why is it that now I feel so uneasy about the whole thing?" He walked back into his room and shut the balcony doors behind him. He lay on his bed, atop the covers and placed his hands under his head. "Is there something about those dreams that I must be aware of? I have gone through matches where I nearly lost my life? Is that it? Is it because I was so near to death that I could have lost my life had I not made the right decision?" Riku then sighed and placed his pillow over his face. "It's probably just bad memories that's all. That was all in the past. I'm here at home, safe and sound and there is no attempt on my life." Riku laid his hands on his chest, the pillow still gently lying on his face and fell asleep.

The next morning, the storm had passed and the bright sun was gleaming over the horizon. Riku, by this time, was awake and had already rowed out to the small island where he and his friends hung out at times. He was alone on that island, carrying out with his exercises as he did every morning during the summer. He now trained with a variety of blades. He would at times spar with Sora, using blunt steel swords, or wooden swords. He also used his sharpened katana for meditation fighting, moving in certain patterns and combating imaginary enemies. But most importantly, Riku would train with his new keyblade, the one give to him by the Universal Alliance six years earlier. The _Ginroio Noria_, The Way of Justice. A glimmering keyblade of black, red, and blue, it was quite a beautiful keyblade. As he trained with these weapons, the sound of the early morning breeze ruffled in the tops of the palm and paopu trees, the waves gently crashed on the white sand.

It was at that moment that Riku heard a voice call to him.

"Hey, Riku!" the voice shouted. Riku turned to see Sora just tying his boat at the dock.

"Hey there, Sora!" Riku replied. "Good morning!"

"I hope I'm not too late."-

"Too late for what?"-

"What else…?" Sora picked up one of the wooden swords. "A spar against you! That's what!"

"Already, Sora? You just got here."

"What's the matter, Riku? Are you scared of me? Afraid that I'll kick your butt?"-

"So you want it that way? Alright, Sora, let's see what you can do!" Riku withdrew his keyblade and picked up the other wooden sword. "Here are the rules though! No using any energy attacks, or magic."

"I gotcha!"-

The two young men made their stances and prepared to battle. Sora was the first to make the move lunging at Riku. Riku made an attempt to strike at Sora, but the young man leaped over his friends head. Sora landed gently on the sand and struck from behind. But Riku easily dodged the attack and thrust with his wooden sword. Sora blocked the attack and began a repetition spin, jumping about against Riku using 360 degree spins. Riku managed to counter however, side sweeping Sora's feet from beneath him. Sora fell, but leaped up again. Again and again, the two managed to evade and block without any trouble. Neither, so far, for an estimated thirty minutes or more, was able to even strike at the other. Finally, with a last attempt to strike one another, Riku and Sora swung their wooden swords and managed to strike at each others' throats.

"It's a draw…" Riku said.

"Neither one of us gained the upper hand." Sora added. They lowered their swords and sat down, side by side, on the sand. Sora threw his shirt from off his back and lay in the warm sand. "Man, I really built up a sweat."

"You and me both." Riku uttered, already shirtless himself. "It doesn't matter how much we spar, we never can seem to break that constant draw."

"But then again, I noticed that you weren't really taking me seriously were you."-

"No, I wasn't. But then again, neither were you."-

"I guess we're both just a couple of idiots."-

"Speak for yourself!" Riku suddenly grabbed Sora and got his head in a lock. He then gave strong noogies on the top of his head. Sora pulled his head out of Riku's grip. "I gotcha good that time, Sora."

"Oh yeah!" Sora pounced on Riku, wrapping his arms around his friend, tackling him to sand. The two rolled about, grappling with one another. But finally, Riku gained the upper hand over his younger friend. He managed to roll Sora over on his back. Riku then straddled himself on Sora's stomach and pinned his arms on the ground. Sora kicked his legs in the air, trying to get Riku off of him, but he was stuck underneath him.

"You're hopeless, you know that!" Riku chuckled. He added weight onto Sora's belly, forcing some of the air out. "You should know by now that you can't beat me in grappling."

"You…just wait…" Sora strained, trying to force Riku off his gut and free himself. But Riku kept his legs wrapped tightly around Sora. All the thrashing amounted to nothing and Sora was at his friend's mercy.

"That's right!" Riku said. "Struggle all you want, Sora. It won't do you any good." He added more weight onto Sora's stomach. Sora wrenched up, throwing his left leg into the air. "Just give it up, Sora. Say you give up!"

"In your dreams…"-

It was then that another familiar voice made itself known.

"Hey, you guys!" it said. "What are you two doing out here!"

The two young men looked up to see Kairi standing over them.

"Kairi…" they both uttered.

"She didn't come alone." Another voice said. The two looked to find Tidus standing behind her. "You two roughhousing again?"

"Hey Tidus!" Riku chuckled.

"This looks like fun." Kairi chuckled. "Can I join in?"

"Sora just had to pounce on me!" Riku said.

"You just wait until next time!" Sora shouted. "Next time, it'll be me that pins you down, Riku!"

"Is that so?" Riku then looked at Kairi. Kairi sat down just opposite of Sora's head and with both her hands, began to tickle him at his sides. Sora began to bawl out with uncontrollable laughter. He continued to kick, hoping to break himself free. But the more he struggled, the more Riku held him down. Tidus sat squatted next to the three.

"You might as well give it up, Sora." He chuckled.

"Alright! Alright!" Sora laughed. "I give up!"

Riku let himself off of Sora's stomach and helped his friend up.

"Maybe next time, you'll be lucky!" Riku said.


	3. Shattered Peace

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Shattered Peace**_

"Next time." Sora smiled and went to retrieve his shirt.

"So, what're you two doing here?"-

"Well, I came to get you guys." Kairi replied. "I just wanted to know if you guys were hungry because they're having that pancake bash at the Seaside Café."

"Hey, that sounds good!" Sora shouted, rubbing his stomach. "I could really go for pigs in a blanket!"

"Sure, I'm game!" Riku added. "What about you, Tidus?"

"I've already eaten." Tidus chuckled. "I just came here to set up the place for our annual summer beach party. You guys coming?"

"Has there ever been a year that we've missed?"-

"Then, I'll see you guys later tonight."-

"Don't worry about that." Sora said. "We'll give you a hand after we finish breakfast."

"We can't let you do this on your own, Tidus." Kairi added.

"Thanks a lot, you guys!" Tidus chuckled.

"We'll be back in an hour." Riku said. The three went off, heading for the dock. However, when reaching the dock, Riku suddenly went into a daze. His vision suddenly saw flashes of light and events from the past appear before his eyes. He only gazed out into the blue of the ocean. The waves seemed to babble the sounds of battle and of thousands of screaming men entering a great fray. He stood their as his memories continued to bombard him. Suddenly, his nostalgia was shattered by a shouting voice.

"Hey, Riku!" Kairi shouted. "You coming!"

"Come on!" Sora added. "My stomach is growling!"

"Alright!" Riku replied. "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

Riku, however, continued to go in a dazing faze, suddenly cutting his body away from his mind. During the row back to the main island, Riku was silent all the way, locking his thoughts in his mind, not uttering a word to either Kairi, or Sora. When they finally reached the shore, Riku lagged behind and took his time, while Sora and Kairi were chatting away in front of him. Riku gazed at his feet as he walked, then suddenly stopped to gaze for a moment, or two, at the beautiful shoreline with its waving palms. It was at that moment that he felt a hand placed on his shoulder which broke him out of his spell.

"Riku?" the voice uttered. Riku looked to see Sora by his side.

"Sora…" Riku replied.

"Are you sure that you're feeling alright?"-

"You seem to be preoccupied for some reason." Kairi added. "As if your mind were someplace else."

"It's nothing, honestly." Riku said.

"I have a hard time believing that…" Sora implied.

"You've been acting like this since we left the island." Kairi added. "You seem to have something bothering you."

"Tell us Riku. What is it that's bothering you? Maybe Kairi and I can help you out with this problem."-

"Well…" Riku paused for a moment. "I'm just experiencing old memories… That's all…"

"Memories of what?"-

"Are they good memories?" Kairi asked. "Like the memories of us three when we were kids, and going of on adventures?"

"Not at all…" Riku said. "They are memories that are far from pleasant. Memories that I'd like to forget."

"What are they?" Sora asked.

"It was regarding… The Gatler Generals…"-

"The Gatler Generals…?" Kairi asked. "Who're they?"

"Are you talking about the commanders that we confronted at Halloween Town six years ago?"-

"Who are the Gatler generals, Sora?"-

"They were three powerful Imperials of the Dark Empire that we had confronted six years ago. They were excessively powerful. More powerful than even a few of the members of the Cavendish Shinobis. But this is the first time that we've ever mentioned this to you, is it, Kairi?"-

"Yes, it is…"-

"Are these events the memories that have been keeping you dazed all this time?"-

"Yes…" Riku implied. "I remember that epic battle against the Gatler generals in thorough detail. To tell you the truth though, that was the one battle that I always seem to remember the most, but never mention it."

"Why is that" Kairi asked.

"Because it was the one battle that I was the most scared."-

"Scared?"-

"I never mentioned this to either of you, but that battle with the Gatler generals was the one confrontation that nearly cost me my life. The general whom I fought, General Triiken, was perfect in form and skill with his sword. His style of combat was without a doubt one of the best I've ever seen. His swordsman skills were equal to the skills of even General Kai himself."

"I see…" Sora uttered.

"I know it sounds a little bit strange…"-

"Not at all, Riku. You never really talk about the events that took place six years ago. It's not often that you refer to your past like this."-

"I agree." Kairi added, smiling. "I think it's great that you mentioned this to us. It makes us feel like you're really starting to open up."

"I guess you're right."-

"Well, come on, old buddy!" Sora chuckled, slapping Riku on the back. "Let's you, Kairi, and I go off to the Seaside Café and gorge ourselves in pancake heaven!" It was then that Sora's stomach growled. "My stomach can't wait any longer!"

"You're right!" Riku stuck his head up. "Then let's go and eat!"

"Yeah!" Sora wrapped his arm around Riku's neck and led him down the road. Kairi nuzzled up close to Riku too. Riku could only smile, wrapping both his arms around his friends. However, the smile he had on his face could not hide the memories of that fateful night.

"I have not had dreams about the past for the passed six years." Riku thought to himself. "Why now, of all times, do they decide to resurface in my mind? And why is it that it makes me feel so uneasy!" But Riku only let his memories slide and rejoined his two friends in their merriment.

Meanwhile, Tidus was back on the small island, setting up for the beach party. Setting up torches and a grill, he made the beach a soothing sight for his coming guest.

"I hope that it'll be another great bash this year." He thought to himself. "We always seem to have fun at these annual beach parties. And that's a tradition I wouldn't break for anything."

But as he set up one of the last torches next to the seaside shack, something caught his eye. He turned his head to see a man dressed in an old sports coat and raggedy old cloak, carrying a duffle bag on one shoulder.

"Excuse me!" the man said, with a high, squeaky voice.

"Can I help you, Sir?" Tidus asked.

"I'm an herbalist from the eastern isles. I specialize in the making of golden seal and a well known herb called senzu. He tipped off his hat and bowed respectfully and humbly towards Tidus. "Please to meet you, young man. My name is Kuroda. Yamagata Kuroda to be precise." He took out of the duffle back, a box with a bizarre symbol upon it. He opened the box and displayed several herbal sampled before Tidus. Tidus, however, suspicious of why his mad was here, happened to looks at the man's hands, noticing that there were calluses on only his right hand. Looking at his own right hand, he observes that his own calluses were identically placed to the man's. He then noticed the fine powder of herbal mounds placed in tissue within the box. "First of all, if you have some spare time on your hands, I would like to tell you more about these special herbs. They can heal bruises and broken bones, cure ailments and illnesses."

"No use trying to bother me with your trade." Tidus interrupted. "I'm not exactly interested in herbs. Besides, no one lives on this island."

"No one lives on this island you say? Are you sure about that?"-

"I've been coming to this island all my life and I can tell you that there isn't anyone who actually lives on this island, it's too small. A salesman should have known that from the start."-

"Well, I'm new at this. This is my first attempt to trade my herbs and spices."-

Tidus ruffled the fine herbal powder between his fingers.

"This is quite fine powder" Tidus said.

"Why thank you, sir." The man replied.

"Tell me, do you use a grindstone to help make this fine powdered herb?"-

"Of course I do."-

"Is that so?" Tidus stood up and sneered at the man. "You certainly are terrible when it comes to lying aren't you!"

"Lying?"-

"First of all, even a novice salesman makes sure to travel only to those places that are heavily populated! Secondly, you said that you used a grindstone to make this powered herb! But the reality is that you couldn't get such fine power with a grind stone, no matter how hard you tried! And even if you did, the labor would require two hands instead of one! From the looks of your palms," Tidus grabbed the man's palms and pointed out his evidence, "you only use your right hand for grinding! To make fine powder with only the use of one hand at the grindstone is impossible to do! Finally, the calluses developed on your right hand are identical to my own, which only points out to me that you are not an herbalist, but a man who excels in swordsmanship! Tell me, who are you!"

"You certainly are perceptive aren't you, young man." Suddenly the man's voice transformed from a squeaky, annoying voice, to one that was deep and threatening. "I'm impressed, Tidus, Defeater of Sin." Tidus backed away from the man. "So it appears that the key bearers are not here right now. However, I'm sure that they'll return, due to the hustle and bustle that you're causing here. So the best way to give my regards is to leave them a gift." The man unfurled his cloak from off his back and drew out a concealable sword from behind him.

"So you were carrying that thing the whole time, eh?" Tidus's sword was not with him, so he went for the next best thing. He grabbed the lantern he had recently stuck in the sand and broke it in half, attempting to use it as a weapon. "You came here with every intention to fight and cause trouble!"

"This guy must be after Riku and Sora…" Tidus thought to himself. He threw the broken staff before him. "Alright, pal! If you've come here hoping to fight, well then you found the right guy to battle! Just tell me this! Who are you really and what do you want with Riku and Sora!"

"As if that really matters to you." Kuroda chuckled.

"Fine, then you're gonna play dumb until the end are you? Then I'll find out who you are by letting this staff do the talking!"-

"If you were wise, you'd forget this futile effort and tell me where I can find the key bearers."-

"You'll have to beat it out of me first!" Tidus suddenly flipped into the air and slammed the staff right onto Kuroda's shoulder. There was slight tension as the staff made contact with Kuroda's shoulder. Tidus smiled. "Hey, sorry to lay it on you so hard."

However, Kuroda only grinned back, in a sinister fashion. Tidus was shocked that there was no reaction of pain. He stood back, letting Kuroda crack his neck from side to side.

"Interesting, my boy." Kuroda chuckled. "Your reputation certainly precedes you and that strike to my shoulder definitely proves it. You without a doubt deserve the title of the 'Defeater of Sin.'"

"I didn't even faze him one bit." Tidus thought to himself. "But that can't be. I put everything I had into that strike."

"However, you were merely facing a third class entity. To add, these are the peaceful days of the new Reconstruction Era. Had you been present in one of the bloodiest wars in universal history, you would have fully realized that your sword strikes would have amounted to nothing." Kuroda crouched down, extending his right leg in front of him and placing the whole of his body weight upon his left leg. He stuck out his left elbow, drawing his blade back. He then, grasped the bottom side of his sword, almost reaching the tip of the blade and nuzzling it between his thumb and index finger.

Suddenly, Kuroda attacked with intense force and speed, taking Tidus completely by surprise. Even for one who ran on fine sand, the speed was without question, unrivaled. Kuroda thrust his blade forward with great force and pierced the sword through Tidus's right arm. The force of the impact caused Tidus to bind backwards, hitting and breaking through the fragile wooden wall of the seaside shack. But in the rush, do the incredible power behind the thrust, the blade fractured and snapped in half. Tidus slammed against the opposite wall and fell to the ground. The fragmented tip remained lodged in his shoulder, but did not pierce all the way through. In the meantime, Kuroda skidded across the sand and stood up after managing to stop his body from sliding. He gazed at the fractured weapon.

"How monotonous is this?" he thought to himself. "Though these concealable swords have their uses, the blades they obtain are as brittle as glass. To inflict major damage against an enemy is almost impossible with such a flimsy weapon. When it boils down, there is nothing I prefer more than an Imperial class sword; whether it be a fencer, or a katana. Anyone of those would certainly put this piece of trash to shame." He threw the broken sword down on the ground. But when he did, Kuroda realized that Tidus was still conscious and was staggering to his feet. The blood from his wound dripped down in small streams down his arm.

"You just wait there, you bastard…" Tidus uttered. "I'm not finished with you yet! This battle is far from over!"

"I think it would be in your best interest to remain still and not attempt any futile effort to retaliate against me." Kuroda said. "Though the wound I gave you is not a fatal one, it is indeed a serious injury. Attempting to use your arm any further would only complicate the problem and…"

"Shut your mouth! I may be wounded, but I still have enough energy left to fight you!"-

"But you are severely crippled on your dominant arm. As a result, your effectiveness has been cut by half!"-

"That's not open for discussion!" Tidus lunged forth, with his staff now placed in his right hand. But as he attempted to strike, Kuroda easily knocked the staff out of his right hand. He then slugged Tidus in the stomach. Tidus hunched over in pain. Kuroda then threw Tidus against the wall again and pounded his hand into the broken sword tip, still lodged in his arm. The blade pierced straight through Tidus's shoulder, piercing him against the wooden walls of the shack. Tidus screamed out in agony, but Kuroda grabbed him by the face and slammed his head against the wall. Tidus went unconscious and hung limp and lifeless upon the sword fragment. Kuroda wiped the blood from his hands and walked away.

"Perhaps, those two keybearers will realize soon enough what they contend with." He walked away, leaving everything behind. His broken blade was never retrieved and the box of herbs remained visible on the beach. Blood was splattered about the walls of the shack and Tidus's blood spilled from his wound in rivers.

In the meantime, Riku, Kairi, and Sora had just finished their meals. Sora rubbed his stomach, feeling its fullness.

"Man, that hit the spot." He uttered.

"That certainly was a pancake bash alright." Kairi added. "A buffet of pancakes with no limit in sight."

"Well, now that we're finished with breakfast, and have full stomachs again, what do you say we go out and give Tidus a hand getting ready for our annual beach party?"-

"That sounds great."-

Sora and Kairi began their walk to the dock, their arms linked to one another. But it was then that Sora realized Riku was again in that dazed spell. He left Kairi's side and walked up to Riku.

"Uh…Riku?" Sora asked. Riku looked at him and smiled.

"Sorry about that, Sora." Riku uttered.

"Are you sure that you're feeling alright? Are you having those memories again?"-

"I am…"-

"This is really starting to concern me, Riku." Kairi said.

"Yeah." Sora added. "Your memories never took hold of you like this before."

"Then again, I've never allowed my memories to overcome me like this." Riku said. "I just…I just feel…"

Suddenly, Riku felt a blow to the back of the head that caused him to fall flat on his face. He looked up to see Wakka and Selphie walked behind him.

"I got you good, ya?" Wakka chuckled.

"You can be such a jerk sometimes, Wakka." Selphie said. Kairi helped Riku up.

"Are you alright?" Kairi asked.

"I'm alright" Riku replied. "I was just taken off guard, that's all."

"You?" Selphie said, in a sarcastic manner. "Caught off guard? I can hardly believe that!"

"It's true though, Selphie." Kairi said. "Riku's been spacing out lately. He says that it's his old memories."

"The funny thing is that they have never bothered him this much." Sora added. Sora turned to Riku. "You sure you're OK, Riku?"

"I'll live, Sora." Riku replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"Anyway, what are you guys doing here?"-

"We were going to help Tidus set up for the party tonight." Selphie explained.

"We're you now?"-

"That's what we were going to do too." Kairi added.

"Well, since we're all headed over there, let's go together!" Selphie said.

"We're gonna have another great party, ya?" Wakka chuckled.

"Then let's go." Riku said.

The party got into their boats and rowed over to the island. The wind was calm and the water smooth. So making their way over to the island went nice and slow. As they reached the dock, they could see the torches, the beach chairs, the volleyball net, and the barbeque grill all set up.

"It looks like Tidus has been busy, ya?" Wakka uttered.

"I guess he really didn't need our help." Selphie said.

"Speaking of which…Where is Tidus anyway! He would be out here somewhere, ya?" The party stood on the doc and looked around.

"Tidus!" Sora cried.

"Tidus?" added Kairi

"Come on out here, Tidus!" Wakka shouted.

"Where are you, Tidus!" added Selphie.

"Tidus!" Riku hollered.

There was no answer though. Only the sound of the breeze and the crashing waves could be heard. Riku and the others looked about.

"Where could he be?" Sora asked. It was then that Sora happened to look at the seaside shack and saw a massive hole in the wall. His eyes grew with fear. "Guys!"

"What's the matter Sora?" Selphie asked.

"Look! The shack!" Sora pointed to the little wooden structure. The massive hole in the side was apparent.

"Oh my goodness," Kairi uttered, "what happened."

It was then that Riku caught a familiar and rather foreboding scent. Immediately, his heart began to pound.

"That smell…" he said. "The smell of blood!"

"What?" Wakka asked. "Blood?"

The team rushed to the shack. On the ground, they saw drips of blood. Riku ran to the hole in the shacks wall and peeped in. And there, still impaled through the shoulder against the wall, Tidus hung, lifeless.

"Tidus!" Riku cried, rushing in to help his dying friend.

"Oh no, Tidus!" Sora added, moving in to assist.

As the others peeped in, there were utterly terrified of what they saw.

"Tidus!" Selphie screamed. "No!" She turned away, daring not to look any further. Tears ran from her eyes. Kairi too became teary-eyed at the sight, covering her mouth in utter shock. Riku and Sora pried Tidus off the wall and carried him out of the shack. He had lost a great deal of blood and hung limp in the arms of his friends. They lay him on the sand.

"Poor Tidus…" Selphie sobbed, her eyes filled with tears.

"Is he in?" Riku said, checking for a pulse and breathing. It was then that he felt a slight pulse of a slow beating heart. "He's still alive!"

"We gotta get him to the hospital immediately!" Sora instructed. Taking off his shirt and belt, Sora made a temporary tourniquet to help stop the bleeding. They cleaned the wound with water from the spring falls and shipped him onto one of the boats.

"I'll take Tidus, ya!" Wakka said, volunteering to watch over his dying friend.

"Very well." Riku implied. "Then we leave him in your care, Wakka." He turned to his friends. "I want you guys to follow Wakka and make sure that Tidus makes it to the hospital in time."

"What about you, Riku?" Sora asked. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"I'll stay here and investigate this crime scene."-

"Alright…" Sora turned to the others. "Come on, you guys. Let's hurry. The more time we waste, the more critical Tidus's condition will become."

"Right." Wakka said. The party climbed into their boats and rowed away, back to the settlement, at a quick and steady pace. Riku stayed behind, hoping to find evidence of who it might have been who attacked Tidus.

He walked about, looking at some to the key elements that were left behind. The herbal box with the strange symbol on its lid was only one thing that any significance. Riku gazed more at the symbol, hoping to see if it held any real significance. It was then, with utter shock and fear that he realized what the symbol represented. Turing the box, with lid opening away from him, Riku realized that this symbol was none other than the letter 'G'.

"Is this symbol what I think it is?" His memories flooded into his mind again, searching to that incident where he had encountered this symbol before.

In an inn, not too far north of the main settlement, a group of men sat about, chatting the night away. But this conversation was not the average meeting so to say. It was more of a conspiracy plot. Among the three was none other than the so much talked about Yamagata Kuroda.

"I am deeply honored to know that you have decided to join us, Inspector Kuroda." The first man said. "Or would it be better if I addressed you by your true and famous name, Mr. Triiken?"

"Address me however you please."-

The man poured rum into his pewter glass.

"I hope you don't mind rum while we go through the steps of our plan."-

"I'm sorry," Triiken uttered, "but I must decline to your kind offer. I have no tolerance for any sort of liquor whatsoever. That's why I don't touch the stuff."

"Really? I'm surprised that a man as strong as you can't hold his liquor."-

"It's not that. I just have this policy that one who drinks may lose track of awareness of the environment around him. One's heightened awareness is always an element to hold on to. Especially when you have a record so full of scorn as mine. That is why I've held back on my consumption since the fall of the Dark Empire."-

"I see what you mean. Then I will not force you to take any." The man poured sum into his own glass. He then placed the pitcher on the table "Now then, down to business… Your mission right now is to track down…"-

"The keybearers, I know that much already."-

"Well, you certainly work fast don't you?" The man swigged from his glass again.

"Knowing that they were in the town, I decided to take the liberty of rowing out to that small isle off the coast. It was there that I would place my evidence to make the keybearers aware of my existence. Knowing Riku, he may already have picked up my scent. However, he won't know the reason for my being here with only the box as his evidence. Next, there will be a written letter addressed to the keybearers, stating my terms. They know of the position I take, so they'll have to agree to any terms I set before them."-

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're putting so much effort into helping us, eh Triiken? I never would have thought that one like you would accept an offer like this from me?"-

"I was also surprised to here about you. Who would have thought that you of all people were the former minister of propaganda, Armadillo Ranker. You certainly knew how to manipulate the people for the old Imperial regime. To think that you were the one to hire me for this job. And the first task I'm assigned is to eliminate the ultimate arch rivals of the Gatler Generals." Triiken then leaned closer to the two men sitting at the table with him. "By the way, I'm quite curious to know the identity of the client who wishes to have the keybearers dead."

"You shouldn't ask so many questions." The second man uttered. "That's a good way to get yourself killed."

"And who might you be who's been silent the whole time?" Triiken uttered.

"I'm none other than Ilian Archibald."-

"Now, now…" Ranker uttered. "There's no need to be hostile, Archibald. Remember, we are all on the same side here, fighting for the power of Imperial rule. There's no need for us to bicker amongst ourselves. Now what do you say we help ourselves to some good food and enjoy ourselves for the rest of the evening?"

"I apologize." Triiken uttered. Placing on his hat and coat, he linked on his belt, which a heavy sword hung down. "Normally, I would accept such an offer of generosity, but I must return to my patrol as the alliance assistant inspector. If I don't fill in my reports, they may get suspicious."

"I understand."-

"Until next time, Gentlemen, I wish you good night." Triiken walked out of the inn with a tip of his hat to the hostess and disappeared into the night.

"To think that a man like him, former commander of the 2nd Gatler Tank division, Arinario Triiken, is serving under the authority of the Universal Alliance, the one power that he tried so desperately to destroy. He even went so far as to change his name to Yamagata Kuroda so as not to spread a scandal within the alliance. The world is quite a different place now. To think that someone with such a soiled reputation for ruthlessness, like Triiken was even accepted as an assistant inspector for the alliance's top secret security agency. I'm surprised that the alliance even accepted him in the first place."

"I really don't like him though." Archibald implied. "He's just another one of those sorry bootlickers working for the police."

"Just the same though, Archibald. Despite his employment into the alliance, he is still an Imperial by heart. The alliance certainly made a mistake hiring him though. Triiken should have been the last to be chosen. He acts as a link between us and the Alliance. At the amount of information given to him by the alliance, he could easily supply us with enough information to bring down that corrupted organization from the inside."-

On that cold night, Triiken moved down back to the settlement where he was staying at another inn outside of town. It was a warm, clear night. The stars twinkled brightly in the midnight sky. Shooting stars flashed and glimmered amidst the dotted lights in that sea of black. The sound of crickets filled the night air.

"These days of peace will soon be turned upside down." Triiken thought to himself. "And once again, the universe's fate will be decided. There will be another reign of chaos that stretches throughout the worlds. I'm sorry to say that your little era of peace has come to an end. You must pick up your weapons again and fight, keybearers. Fate will no longer have you standing idle. To fight is the only fate and only destiny which you two have…Riku…Sora…"


	4. Presence Known PART I

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Presence Known PART I**_

The night passed on as the stars grew brighter and more numerous is the sky. However, even in the deepest of the night, Riku remained on the island, gazing at the evidence left behind him. The party had been cancelled due to the incident and Riku spent the night on the island, pondering at the artifacts found at the scene of the crime. He observed the box with the letter 'G' inscribed on it and the broken sword, which was used to strike down Tidus. Examining them by fire light, Riku thought and thought. Perhaps this incident was linked to the resurfacing of dreams he had been having in the past.

"Why…?" Riku asked himself. "Why of all times…?"

It was then that he heard someone walking on the sandy beach. He drew out his keyblade. In the midst of the shadows surrounding the little campfire, Riku observed a figure approaching him.

"Who's there!" he shouted.

"It's just me!" the voice replied. Riku realized, as the figure became more illuminated by the fire light, it was only Sora.

"Oh, it's you, Sora…"-

"You've been here all night, Riku. Don't you think that you should be going home?"-

"It's alright. I was just investigating the crime scene."-

"Really? What have you concluded to?"-

"That's the thing. I haven't really reached any conclusions. Not with the amount of evidence here."-

"Whoever this guy is, he certainly knows not to leave a great deal of evidence behind."-

"Yeah…"-

Sora sat down besides Riku and gazed up into the night sky.

"The stars are beautiful tonight." Sora uttered. "Too bad this had to happen though."

"How's Tidus's condition?" Riku asked.

"He's doing fine now. He just needs at least a few days rest. The doctor said that he would have died, however, had he lost a few more ounces of blood. The wound itself was not a fatal one. The blade pierced all the way through Tidus's shoulder, but it didn't puncture any vital arteries, or shatter any bone, or main muscle. It was just a clear stab through flesh."-

"I see. So Tidus will make a full recovery?"-

"From what I understand, yes." Sora looked at Riku. "But I have to ask you something, Riku. Tidus is the third toughest on Destiny Island, compared to you and I. He's a tough guy to take down. And since that ordeal he went through against Sin, he's vastly improved. I mean, there are not a lot of guys who can beat him up so badly to the point of death. What kind of guy could have done that?"-

"I know…" Riku implied.

"You know?" Sora glared at him in shock. "You know who did this to Tidus? But how?"

"Simply by looking at these items that I found when we discovered Tidus half dead." Riku picked up the box and handed it to Sora. He then pointed at the letter 'G' inscribed on the lid. "You've seen this symbol before haven't you? We've both seen it."

Sora recalled the memories to when he saw this strange insignia. It was at that moment that he realized what he was looking at.

"But this…this…" he uttered. "this…is the symbol of the Gatler Generals of the Dark Empire. I remember seeing this same emblem on the collar of General Durovano's uniform. But are you saying that it was a Gatler General that did this?"

"None other…"-

"But what would a Gatler General be doing here? I thought that the doors to all worlds had been sealed, except the one held in Oceansburg by the Alliance?"-

"I don't know…"-

"But if there is a Gatler General wandering about Destiny Island, which of the three would he be? And why would he come here in the first place?"-

"Perhaps looking for revenge." Riku stood up and picked up the fragments of the broken sword. "Revenge on either one, or both of us. However, I have a feeling I know who's behind this." Suddenly, Riku fell to his knees, grasping at the right side of his throat.

"Riku!" Sora shouted, rushing to his friend's side. "What is it? What's happened?" He noticed that Riku was covering his throat. "What's wrong with your neck?"

"Just old memories, that's all." Riku removed his hand and on his throat, there was a red streak running across the entire right side of his throat.

"What is that?" Sora looked at it closer. "It looks like someone was trying to cut your throat, or held a sharpened blade to it anyway."

"Every time I think of that battle against the Gatler Generals, this old wound resurfaces to remind me of that incident. But the pain has never been as excruciating as this." Riku looked at Sora. "That's why I told you that the fight against the Gatler Generals was the most frightening battle I ever engaged in, because I was standing on a thin line between life and death. And it was because of that battle that I have been having these strong nostalgic feelings return to me. The force of that attack used against me, which inflicted this scar, was one that surpassed any other devastating attack I encountered before."

"What kind of an attack was it?"-

"It was a thrust attack."-

"That's it?" Sora folded his arms in front of him. "Just a simple thrust attack?"

"Not just any thrust attack, Sora. But one that is the basis for all thrust attacks used in the universe. The basic fundamentals for the perfect thrust attack. One used by many Imperials. The Imperial Thrust. This technique was the first well established strike that could kill an opponent with one hit. Many other thrust attacks are based off this style, from Cloud Strife's Sonic Blade to Saito's Gatotsu. The Imperial Thrust is an unrivaled attack that dwarfs all others in speed and power." Riku showed Sora the sword. "This broken sword is evidence of that power, snapping in half so clean. The amount of power and speed used to break this blade must've been immense. To add, this sword is made from the same material that our old Imperial katanas were made of. To have the sword snapped in half so easily…there must be quite a lot of energy behind it."

"So how did this attack create that scar?"-

"The attack," Riku continued, "accumulates sharp air currents around the blade during the thrust. The blade didn't even touch my throat. It was about an inch away from by flesh, but the powerful air pressure accumulating from the sword, ruptured a few of the nerve endings and capillaries in my skin. That's how this scar was formed. Normally, it's not visible. However, when that memory is triggered, that old scar begins to throb and reveals itself again." Riku gazed into the night sky. "It was the attack, which nearly ended my life if it were not for my fast thinking and quick reflexes. It was the one version of the Imperial Thrust that he created and alone perfected…The _Noctin Exmortin_."

"Who's he?" Sora wanted to know. "Who was the one who gave you the scar and injured Tidus? Which of the three is it, Riku? If you know, please tell me."

"The leader of the 2nd Gatler Tank division…General Arinario Triiken. The skills of Triiken have not diminished. He's still as good as when we first confronted each other at Halloween Town. My own skills have depleted though since the peace we established six years ago. With my skills depleted to at least three quarters of what they were before, and with my vow never to rely on the dark powers within my heart, would I be able to confront such a foe."-

"Of course you will!" Sora chuckled, coming up from behind and putting both arms around Riku, squeezing him. "You know why? Because I'll be there to help you! That's what friends are for!" Riku, seeing that happy-go-lucky grin on Sora, and that same twinkle in his sky blue eyes, could only smile. He grasped at Sora's hand.

"Thanks, Sora." He uttered.

"Well, what do you say we go home now, eh buddy?"-

"That sounds good now. After all that's happened today, I could really go for a nice rest in my own bed…" Riku now stumbled slightly, due to his fatigue. His eyes were now slightly open, his eyelids slowly closing.

"I'll help you home." Sora said. He stamped out the fire and slung his friend's arm over his shoulder. Then, like two drunken men, they hobbled to their boats and rowed home.

The following day started out quiet and without real activity. The early morning saw a beautiful sunrise and a clear day. The air was still crisp and cool and the dew on the leaves of plants and trees were still heavy. It was at this early morning that Sora and Kairi walked down to visit Riku. They walked up the door of his home and rang the doorbell. Riku, who was now in his mid twenties, had gained enough income to settle in his own residential home. So it was alright for them to ring the bell in the early wee hours.

"Riku!" Sora shouted. "You home!" There was no answer though. Kairi ran to the balcony of his room.

"Riku!" she cried. "Get up sleepy head!" Still there was no response.

"Riku!" Sora shouted again.

"He's not home right now!" a voice said. Sora turned to see one of Riku's neighbors out, watering her flowers.

"Where did he go?"-

"Last time I saw him, he went that way, up the hill towards the cemetery."-

"The cemetery?"-

"Oh no…" Kairi uttered. "Not again."

The two went running up the hill to a small graveyard just atop the ridge. It was there that they saw Riku kneeling over the grave of a well known friend. The two walked up to him, just in time to see him place a bouquet of flowers over the grave. On the head stone was carved the name…

_Namine_

"You're here again, Riku?" Kairi asked.

"Just came to pay my respects to the one I love." Riku uttered. He gazed at the grave of Namine so tenderly. "She was one who would always be there for me. Just like you two. Even though she was Kairi's opposite, she still loved me. It was even a miracle that she found her way to this world. She must've somehow seen my longing for a companion to enjoy life with. Thus, Namine found it within herself to somehow take on a physical form by her own free will. After being a by my side that time fighting the Organization, I believe there was a connection between the two of us."

"Namine was such a fine young woman. And one to befriend so well. You might say that we were sisters."-

"It's hard to believe that she's gone." Sora uttered. "She was so lovely too."

"It was an advanced stage of tuberculosis that took her life, despite her being a Nobody." Riku said. "She was susceptible to the same diseases as the rest of us. She came onto Destiny Island shortly after we arrived from our ordeal against the Organization and the Heartless. It had only been two years that she came to live with us on our island when she died of this sickness." Riku placed his hand on her name. "I miss her so much." Kairi placed her hand on Riku and caressed him to her bosom. Riku's eyes suddenly filled with tears. Sora sat next to his friend and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"We will all miss her." He uttered. "Namine was one of us, one of the gang."

"She was also a part of me." Kairi continued. "No doubt that she once again resides within me. Though she was a Nobody, I believe that she might have found a heart to go with her body. It just goes to show how boundless and unpredictable our hearts can be. They too have the capability of forging other hearts."

"Farewell, my sweet." Riku stood up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He then turned to his two friends. "So what brings you two here?"

"We came to ask you if you wanted to join us to go the hospital. We were going to go and check on Tidus and keep him company for a while."-

"That sounds good. I think we could all do with a little socializing." Riku stretched his back. "Let's get going."

"Great!" Sora chuckled. The three began their trek to see their friend Tidus, who still lay in bed at the hospital.

When they reached the hospital and entered the lobby, they walked up to the front desk.

"We've come to visit our friend, Tidus." Kairi implied to the nurse.

"May I have your names please?" the nurse asked.

"Sure. I'm Kairi."-

"I'm Sora." Sora added.

"And I'm Riku." Riku finished off.

"Sora and Riku?" the nurse asked. "There has been someone looking around for you earlier?"

"Really? Who?" Sora asked.

"I don't know. He never gave me his name. And I've never seen his face around here before." Immediately, fear entered the minds of the two keybearers.

"Could you tell us what he looked like?" Riku asked.

"I don't know what he looks like. He had sunglasses and a cap on. But he was slightly tall. A little taller than you, Riku." She pulled out of the desk, a slip of paper. "He said that he wanted me to give this to you." She handed the paper to Riku. Riku unfolded the paper to see what was written. As he looked, he saw the word 'soon' written on it.

"Soon?" Sora asked, looking at the simple word on the note. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know." Riku folded up the note and put it in his pocket. He then turned and walked out of the hospital. "I have to go."

"But Riku…" Kairi uttered. "What about Tidus?"

"I'll be back soon. I just need to take care of something."

"Take care of something? But Riku…"-

It was then that Kairi felt Sora's hand fall gently on her shoulder. She gazed at him, but instead of his happy-go-lucky smile, there was a concerned look on his face.

"Don't worry, Kairi." Sora uttered. "Riku will be back. He just needs to take care of some business."

"What kind of business?"-

"Just a little favor he has to fulfill for someone." Sora began to walk down the isle, towards the room where Tidus was in. "Come now. Tidus could use some company."

Kairi could only watch the door, when Riku stepped out. She sighed and joined Sora to visit their bedridden friend.

They entered the little room where Tidus lay. His shoulder was wrapped in bandages and he was placed on a life support. The two stepped up to the bed.

"Tidus?" Sora uttered.

"Tidus." Kairi added. "It's us."

Tidus's eyes remained closed for the time being. The two watched as their friend continued to slumber away. Kairi place her hand on his head, moving the strands of hair from his eyes. Sora took up a couple of chairs and placed them next to Tidus's bedside. There they sat for a while, keeping vigilant over the sleeping Tidus.

At the same time, not too far from the hospital, at a small restaurant just up the road, General Triiken, also known as Yamagata Kuroda, was sitting down to his breakfast. The waitress came with a plate of cornmeal grits. She placed the dish before him and smiled.

"Here you go, sir." She said. "Our top quality grits for you. Enjoy and take your time."

"Thank you very much." Triiken said as she walked away. "But I'm in rather a hurry so I better eat quickly. Time is of the essence right now."

But as he placed the napkin in his lap, the door opened with the ring of the bell, latched to its top, and none other than Ilian Archibald entered the restaurant. He sat himself on the seat opposite of Triiken.

"Is that all you're having!" Archibald said, in a rather aggressive and irritable nature, "one platter of plain, cornmeal grits! I could scarcely call that breakfast! Wouldn't you agree General Triiken!

Triiken only quietly placed a slice of butter atop the mound of ground cornmeal.

"I like my grits plain and unaccompanied by any other unnecessary dish that may fatten me up. To be fat is not a good condition for one of my athletic abilities. And to add for now, my name if Inspector Yamagata Kuroda." Triiken tapped his fork on the table and scooped up a little of the first grit. "I believe your name was Ilian Archibald, was it not? Is there something of great importance that you must tell me if you have enough nerve to interrupt my meal? Or is there something that you want from me?"

"It's neither of those things! I just really hate you and your attitude, Kuroda!" Triiken took no note of his ally's hot temper and continued to scoop up his grits and placed it in his mouth a little at a time. At the same time, Archibald continued to aggressively attack him with his words. "I was the one who was supposed to take out the keybearers. I was in fact the one originally assigned to take care of all missions in this realm. But Mr. Ranker decided to hand the job over to you, the new guy, simply because you happen to have some experience fighting with those two kids! Listen, if you're going to fight them, then fight them and get it over with, so that you can get yourself killed a lot quicker! That way you can make room for the more experienced assassins! You keep going at this snails pace and sooner, or later, someone's gonna be tempted to stab you in the back! You understand what I'm saying!" It was then that Triiken began to chuckle. Archibald, angry at this spectacle, slammed his hand hard on the table. "What the hell are you laughing at! You think I'm kidding around with you! You better learn to take me seriously."

"Oh, there's no need to be so irritated by my actions." Triiken explained as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I understand completely how you feel. It's only natural for someone like you to act like a spoiled little child just because things aren't going your way."

"You trying to be funny, or something!"-

"I never said that now did I. Listen to me, Archibald. You want to increase your status as being an ultra class 'A' assassin, am I right? Well, then I'll gladly let you have it. Let's drop our individuality for the time being and make this mission a cooperative effort. What do you say?"-

"Heh! If you think that I'd ever cooperate with the likes of you, then you're only fooling yourself."-

"Just calm down and at least listen to my plan." Triiken scooped up the last morsel of cornmeal from his plate. "During the meeting we three had last night, I had explained that I had left a few items back on that small island off the coast. Now, knowing Riku, he must know by now that I am involved. If you recall, I mentioned that last night. However, he can't fully guarantee anything with only a box and a broken sword as his only clues. So, naturally, he would be waiting for me to make the next move. So, earlier this morning, I dropped a message at the hospital where their friend, Tidus, is being cared for. Now, naturally Riku will want to search the areas where I would most likely be, fearing the safety of his other friends. He will eventually want to seek out any suspicious activity at his own home. It was there that I left a declaration in his letter box. Written on it is the place where I will meet both him and Sora. However, instead of finding me there, they will be confronting none other than you."

"I see what you're getting at." Archibald chuckled. "You'll be acting like the bait that lures the keybearers in am I right?"

"And you will be the one in charge of their execution. Does that sound fair enough?"-

"It's not too bad! Not too bad at all! But there's something about this plan that I don't like. You also mentioned last night that Riku and Sora were the ultimate arch rivals of the Gatler Generals. I don't get why you would just hand those two guys over to me without any strings attached. How do I know that there ain't any kind of catch?"-

"Well, I might have said that the keybearers were the ultimate rivals of the Gatler Generals before our late minister of propaganda, but I obviously don't care about that issue anymore. As a well known Gatler general, I made sure to engage in confrontations that I knew would benefit mostly to me, without the threat of some retaliation. Right now, I enjoy the way my life is going, living in peace with the occasional amusement every now and then. Instead of taking one radical and drastic leap, I like to take multiple and more precarious baby steps to help ensure success and have established a strong foundation for myself. That way, I have something to fall back to in case there is a need for it." Triiken then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag of gold coins. "And just to assure you that I will not go back on my work, I will pay you a grand bounty for your efforts." He handed the bag to Archibald.

"Now I know you want something in return if you're so willing to pay me to do what you were assigned to carry out."-

"There's no catch at all." Triiken chuckled. "If you manage to kill both of the keybearers before this evening, I will pay you ten times the amount I have given you now."

"You really mean that?"-

"I swear to you as a follower of the Imperial code."-

Archibald grinned and greedily grabbed the bag from off of the table. He dumped out the coins in his hand and counted them. After doing so, he placed the coins back in the bag and put it in his pocket. He then grinned at Triiken.

"I still don't like it, but I like the story you made as well as the proposition you've given me, Kuroda!" Archibald stood up and walked away. "Very well, I'll do your bidding and kill the keybearers for you! But just because I'm getting paid by you, doesn't change the fact that I still hate your guts! And just another word in for you! Despite what you, or Ranker think, there's one thing that you should drill into that thick skull of yours. The best man that we have working this operation is none other than me!" With an arrogant gesture, Archibald exited the restaurant, leaving Triiken to finish his meal. But Triiken, despite Archibald's sentiment, was little fazed by the harsh statements made. Instead, he only smiled to himself.

"Idiot." Triiken uttered to himself. "If he wants to fight the keybearers so badly, then let him do so. I have no interests in petty quarreling. His personal issues are completely insignificant to me."

Meanwhile, after searching for any suspicious activity, as Triiken had predicted, Riku had finished investigating the homes of his friends. He eventually made his way back to his own house. It had been over two hours since he left Sora and Kairi and was now reaching the end of his destination.

"Triiken must be around here somewhere." He thought to himself. "But knowing him, he's waiting for me to make the first move. But I'll pull a reversal on him and wait for him to make the first move." Sure enough, as he walked to the front of his house, he noticed an envelope with that same seal, the letter 'G' posted on its front. He took the envelope and opened it up. He read the note that was written on it. Instantly, Riku's eyes turned with a burning determination to finish this dispute once and for all. He sat upon his porch, with note in hand, pondering of the action he must take.

It was then, just a few minutes after he had sat down that Kairi and Sora appeared, walking towards him.

"Riku!" Sora shouted. "There you are! We were wondering what happened to you!"

"Are you OK, Riku?" Kairi asked. Riku quickly shoved the letter into his pocket and stood up to meet his friends.

"Could you two come in for a while?" Riku asked.

"Yeah sure." Sora implied. "But you look like you have something on your mind. What is it?"

"It's a little complicated." Riku took out his house key and unlocked the door. The three stepped into his home. Riku then halted them. "Kairi, could you wait in the living room for a minute. I need to discuss something very important with Sora."

"Sure." Kairi replied. "But what must you discuss that you can't share it with me?"

"Please Kairi…" Riku turned his back towards them. Kairi lowered her eyes, but Sora patted her on the shoulder.

"We won't be long." Sora uttered to her. "Just wait for us please."

"Alright." Kairi uttered. She walked into the living room and sat on the couch.

"Come with me, Sora." Riku requested, climbing up the stairs. Sora followed closely behind him. They entered Riku's room, where Riku shut the door behind him.

"OK, Riku," Sora said, "I know there's something on your mind. So what is it that you wanted to discuss with me?" It was then that Riku pulled out the letter. He gave it to Sora.

"I found this letter in my mailbox today." Riku uttered. "I want you to read it."

Sora unfolded the letter and read it. The letter stated as followed.

_Keybearers,_

_So I have finally caught up with you. It seems that we have an old score to settle. I stand to maintain the honor of the Gatler Generals and resolve the fight we never concluded. I will be waiting for you today at the isle off shore, upon the sandy beaches._

_Triiken_

"You were right." Sora uttered. "What'll we do?"

"We'll never find peace so long as there is one last Imperial who wishes to settle the score with us." Riku explained. "The letter specifically calls for both of us. If Triiken has come for a rematch, then it's a rematch that we'll give him."

"But when will we go to meet him?"-

"We leave now."-

"But what about Kairi?"-

"It's best that we don't get her, or any of the others involved in this. They've suffered enough and I don't want to break this peace for them."-

"But what will we tell Kairi?"-

"Leave that to me, Sora." The two exited the room and descended back down the stairs to the first floor where Kairi was still waiting for them.

"Well, it took you long enough." Kairi said. The tone of her voice was rather irritated now.

"We have to go away for a while, Kairi." Riku stated.

"You and Sora?"-

"Yes."-

"So you guys intend to leave me behind again? What is it that you two are keeping from me? I want to know!"-

"It's better that you don't know."-

"I want to know! Let me in on it!"-

"It's better that you don't know what'll happen."-

"I don't care! What is it that's so important that you don't want me to find out about it!"-

"I can only tell you this much, Kairi." Riku placed his hands on her shoulders. "Something bad is going to happen and I don't want you, or the others to get involved alright."

"What do you mean something bad is going to happen! What is it!"-

"Let's just leave it at that, Kairi." Riku walked towards the front door. "Right now, I want you to stay here and watch the place while we're gone."-

"You intend to dump me here and yet you expect me to watch your house for you!" Kairi's attitude became more aggressive.

"Please do what Riku says, Kairi." Sora uttered. "For our sakes as well as yours."

"Is it that bad!" Kairi cried. But Riku and Sora said no further words and walked out of the house. Kairi ran to the doorstep and watched her two friends walk away. "Darn those two, always leaving me out of their play."

It wasn't long before Riku and Sora had rowed their boats out to the little island off shore. They stood on the beach, browsing for Triiken's whereabouts.

"Triiken!" Riku shouted. "Sora and I have come just as you had requested in the letter! Now, show yourself!" There was no response. The two walked into the center of the sandy beach.

"Come on out, Triiken!" Sora hollered. Still, there was no answer.

"Sora." Riku said. "I want you to stay out of this fight."

"But why?" Sora asked.

"I have a feeling that Triiken's main objective for being here is to settle the score with me. So, I want you to stay out of this fight alright?"-

"But what if you need help?"-

"I can handle this, Sora. I've faced Triiken before. But if you intervene, I'll have to worry about your safety as well."-

"Don't worry about me, Riku. You're looking at the guy who went head to head with Lord Arakis six years ago."-

"I'm asking you as a friend to stay out of this fight alright!" Sora lowered his head then raised it again.

"I understand. This is strictly a fight between the two of you. Then, I won't interfere." Sora walked away and ascended to the stone pathway that overlooked the beach, leaving Riku standing alone on the sand.

There was no sound from anywhere, nothing besides the rustling of the leaves on the trees, the crashing of the waves on the shore, and the sound of seagulls cawing in the air. Riku looked around, hoping to spot a lone figure hoping to face him.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a heavy object flying through the air behind Riku. The sound drew nearer and nearer. Riku, sensing the danger, dodged the sound's source. Sure enough a massive spiked mace ball attached to an extended chain flew by the young key bearer. The mace ball slammed into the remains of the seaside shack, shattering the structure with its impact. The ball then rebounded back, harmlessly passing Riku.

"I guess I couldn't expect less from the keybearers." A voice shouted. Riku turned around to find a large man, dressed in rusty old armor, like that from ancient China and classical Europe. He wore an old, blue linen cape and the facial characteristics were like that of a stone head. His face jagged in appearance and rather rough looking. His face was scraggly with a premature beard. And across both eyes, two tattooed bars draped down his face, from his forehead to his cheeks. A samurai helmet, bearing a large crescent moon symbol, acted as head protection, making the appearance of his outfit rather unique.

"That's not Triiken." Sora thought to himself.

"Who are you?" Riku uttered. "And what are you doing here?"

"I am Ilian Archibald! An ultra class 'A' assassin! And I have come here to take the lives of the legendary bearers of the key blades!"

"How would this guy know about us?" Sora wondered. "Could it be possible that he's an Imperial too?"

Meanwhile, back at Riku's house, Kairi sat about on the porch awaiting the return of her two friends. It was at that moment that Wakka came strolling up the walkway.

"Hey there, Kairi!" he stated.

"Oh, hey there, Wakka." Kairi replied.

"What are you doing here at Riku's house?"-

"I'm just watching over the place."-

"Why? Where is he?"-

"Riku and Sora stepped out at least thirty minutes ago."-

"Where did they go?"-

"I have no idea. And I really don't care right now." Wakka sat next to her.

"Why didn't you go with them?"-

"They didn't want me to come along with them."-

"That doesn't sound like Riku and Sora. Why didn't they take you with them?"-

"They were talking about how something bad was going to happen and that I shouldn't get involved. But if you ask me, those two are probably up to no good. And I can't help feeling what it's about."-

"I don't think that Riku and Sora would be up to anything bad. It doesn't sound like them to cause trouble."-

"That may be so, but still…"-

It was at that moment that a figure appeared at the entry way to the house.

"Excuse me!" the figure cried in a high pitched voice.

"Can I help you?" Kairi asked.

"Pardon for my intrusion." The man said. "My name is Assistant Inspector Yamagata Kuroda."

"What can I do for you, inspector?"-

"I was wondering if I could find a young man named Riku here. I understand that he lives at this residence."-

"So Riku and Sora did get themselves into trouble, eh? What is this about?"-

"I am an officer from the Universal Alliance."-

"The…Alliance?" Kairi's eyes grew side with fear. "What would the alliance be doing out here?"

"I was sent here by President Sneer of the Universal Alliance to patrol this world along with some other agents. There have been reports that there are some ruffians of the former Empire who have somehow managed to sneak their way into this realm. And we believe that some of these strays may be after Riku and Sora."-

"How do you know about Riku and Sora?" Wakka asked.

"I'm sure there's not a single person in the Alliance who hasn't heard of the legendary keybearers who fought off the forces of the Dark Empire. Their reputation as heroes precedes them."-

"So you're saying that someone is after Riku and Sora?" Kairi asked.

"From what my sources say, yes. That's why I have been assigned to protect Riku and Sora, as well as those around them. I've received word that these former Imperials, who are seeking revenge, are not only targeting the keybearers, but are also after their acquaintances."-

"Oh no…"-

"I hope it isn't too much trouble, but would it be alright if I wait for them to return? I don't want to have to leave and find out later that they've returned after I have departed."-

"If it's that important, then sure." Kairi escorted the tall, handsome, man into Riku's home. She then beckoned to Wakka. "It's best that you stay here too, Wakka."

"Of course I'll stay here. Who knows what'll happen, ya!" Wakka replied. "But nothing could really happen when it's still daylight right?"

"I wouldn't recommend it, sir." Kuroda implied. "These Imperials are more effective attacking their victims in the day time. They can see you better."

"I guess you're right." Wakka and Kairi moved to the living room, unaware of the sinister smile streaked across the inspector's face.

At the same time, Riku was confronting the infamous ultra class 'A' assassin, Ilian Archibald. Archibald was armed with a large scythe, with the spiked mace, acting as a counterweight to balance the weapon, attached to the lower end. The weapon itself was a sight to behold, being such a massive object that seemed one to bulky to be used for swiftness. However, the devastating power behind it more than made up for its lack of speed.

"I can understand why there would be those who are after our lives." Riku said. "However, I have no intention of surrendering my life to someone for an unknown reason. Before we begin, tell me why you wish to kill us? And how is it that you have some connection with General Triiken?"

"Listen, I ain't much of a talker." Archibald said. "So why don't we just get down to business!" Archibald began to charge against Riku, tossing the blade of the scythe into the air. Riku immediately saw the danger and dodged far before the strike could be deployed. "You think it's that easy!" The mace counterweight flew in the opposite direction, heading where Riku had landed. "This is over for you!" But as the mace hit, Riku was no longer there. He had used Shadow Decoy to elude the attack. Archibald was stunned. "That's impossible."


	5. Presence Known PART II

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Presence Known PART II**_

"It's not impossible when you're me." Riku uttered, appeared to the right of the assassin.

"How did you do that?"-

"I'm gonna ask you again. Why are you after us? And what links you with Triiken?"-

"You think I'll utter a word to you!"-

"Tell me, now."-

"All I want is to go down in history as the one who defeated the legendary keybearers! And then, only after that, my reputation as a true elite assassin will be fulfilled!" Archibald came charging at Riku, with his scythe drawn behind him, attempting to swing. However, Riku suddenly attacked him and knocked the lumbering assassin off his feet. But the assassin retaliated, tossing the counterweight at his enemy. But Riku instantly saw the strike and deploying his keyblade he rushed across the flying chain and cut the mace from its link.

"This guy," Archibald uttered. "How can this guy be so powerful? He's just a kid." Archibald swung the scythe again, but Riku saw the strike and instantly dodged it. Now, without the use of its counterweight, the scythe itself was too heavy on one side, slowing down its effectiveness.

"Why don't you just give up?" Riku said. "There's no way that you can beat me as you are now. Continuing would be futile, if not pointless."

"You'll regret ever saying that!" Archibald shouted. "This is just round one! Now, get ready for round two!" Suddenly, the blade of the scythe detached from its staff and extended its reach to where Riku was. The chain, which was the attachment to the counterweight, now kept the large scythe blade attached to the staff. Like a chain mace weapon, Archibald swung the mighty blade around and around, hoping to strike Riku. However, despite the transformation of the scythe, its swinging chain was easy to predict. Riku managed to dodge the chain without much effort.

"You fool." Riku uttered. "The chain of your scythe is too predictable with that massive blade being held at the end. Stop wasting my time already and give up."

"That'll be the day!" Archibald shouted. "The day that I give up to a kid is the day hell freezes over!"

"Then, maybe I should end your life and see if it's true if hell froze over, or not!"-

"Dream on!" Archibald swung the blade again, but by this time, Riku had enough. After dodging the blade for the tenth time, he moved in at a quick pace. Using the keyblade, he cut the scythe staff in half and kicked his opponent straight in the face. Archibald tumbled about in the sand, landing on his face.

"I told you it was pointless to resist."-

"That's it, Riku!" Sora shouted from the sideline. "That's showing him."

Archibald attempted to stand only to find Riku standing over him, his keyblade drawn straight at him.

"So this is where it ends for you." Riku uttered. But as soon as Riku finished his statement, Archibald began to back down, begging for his life.

"Please! Spare me!" Archibald pleaded. "Spare me, Riku!"

"Tell me what links you to Triiken?"-

"He offered me a great deal of money to get rid of you!"-

"So that's it, eh? What could Triiken be thinking, sending a mongrel dog to fight me instead of having the guts to face me himself?" He gazed at Archibald. "I don't believe everything you've said, but I'll let you go. And don't try an attempt to fight me again, because the next time, my face will be the last thing you'll ever see."

"Yes, sir…" Archibald uttered.

"That was great!" Sora shouted. "You sure showed him."

Riku turned away, heading for the boat. But as he did, Archibald stood up again.

"The last thing you'll ever see is my foot on your face!" he shouted. From his left armored sleeve, chained counterweights were deployed. "Turning your back on me was the biggest mistake!"

"Riku, look out!" Sora shouted. He jumped from the path onto the sand and pushed Riku out of the way. The chain wrapped itself around Sora's throat.

"Sora!" Riku cried.

"Well, what do you know?" Archibald chuckled. "The wrong throat! But it'll still do!" Archibald pulled on the chain and sent Sora flying towards him. He grabbed a hold of Sora, wrapping his arm around his neck. From behind him, Archibald pulled out a short sword and held it in front of Riku. "Now what do you plan on doing, Riku? Your best friend is now my hostage. Try anything funny and I swear I'll cut his throat!" He held the sharpened blade to Sora's throat, forcing his head up.

"R…Riku…" Sora uttered.

"You call this fair!" Riku shouted.

"Who said anything about life being fair!" Archibald implied. "I don't see you as calm and reserved as you were before! Just go ahead and try me! Just try me! I swear that I'll slit your friend's throat from ear to ear! I may not have the advantage when it comes to speed, but in terms of power, I have the advantage! And playing dirty is the way an assassin always plays! So taking a hostage is the norm for me!" Riku began to sweat with concern, seeing his best friend at the mercy of his enemy's blade. "Someone's life will certainly end today! But it won't be mine that's for sure!"

"You'll pay for this!"-

"And what do you intend to do about it! You make one move on me and I swear I'll cut Sora's jugulars!" He pointed his sword at Riku. "I guess it's pointless to resist anymore."

"Let me go!" Sora cried.

"Not a chance, kid." Archibald whispered into his ear. "You're mine now."

"I said… let me… go!" Sora suddenly thrust his head back and putting the assassin straight in the face. Archibald jerked back, blood spurting from his nose and mouth. Sora distanced himself from Archibald, but Archibald jerked the chain back, forcing Sora to rebound. "Where do you think you're going!"

"Sora!" Riku shouted, rushing to help his friend. But the young man came one second too late as the assassin pulled Sora, by the throat, back to him. He threw his hand around Sora's chin and lifted his head up. He then drew the sharpened steel so close to Sora's throat, that it began to leave a red mark on his skin.

"You thought you were so smart doing that to me!" Archibald shouted. Tears began to run from Sora's eyes as he feared that this would be the last breath he took.

"Leave Sora alone!"-

"And what are you going to do about it! This kid's throat will be severed long before you could ever reach him! Let this be a lesson to you never to mess with an ultra class 'A' assassin!" Riku could only back down now as he knew Sora's life was in a critical spot. He drew his head down. But as he did, Riku sensed a strange power that was growing straight in front of him.

"This power…" he thought to himself. "Sora?" It was only then that he realized Sora's strength was growing from the inside, which was unusual, yet familiar. "This is the same power I sensed when he fought General Ameba back in Gombria. But what is this power?"

"Stop standing there all dumbfounded, boy!" Archibald chuckled. "If you wanna see death, then take a good look at it! I was going to kill you guys anyway, so why don't we start killing now! Starting with your friend here!" Archibald looked at Sora, his eyes were still shut. "Come now, kid! I want to see your eyes fill with fear, so I can satisfy my fathom knowing that you died in fear and agony! That fear in your eyes is what I am most hoping to see!" But as Sora opened his eyes, the feeling had changed. His eyes, instead of those beautiful blue eyes, were now a bright yellow, protruding straight through Archibald. "What the hell? What is this!"

Suddenly, without warning and with out thought, Sora grabbed Archibald's right hand and tightened his grip. Using his left hand, Sora clutched the sharpened blade, causing his hand to bleed furiously, so as to prevent sudden jerking from severing his flesh. He then forced the blade upward and away from his throat. He then slammed the back of his head into Archibald's face again. The assassin jerked back. Sora jumped away and drew out his keyblade. He thrust out his hand and deployed the Tundra Canister. Archibald was shocked at what he saw. The ice hit and clung to him, freezing the assassin in place. Sora threw the chain off from around his throat.

"Not so funny, when you're the one who's in a tight spot is it?" Sora uttered in a rather deep and sinister voice.

"Sora…?" Riku uttered, only fearing what he saw.

"What…what are you?" Archibald said, fearfully. "You're not a regular young man."

"This is what you may call my more aggressive side." Sora replied. "You can call me The Keyblade Hound."

"The Keyblade Hound?" Riku uttered.

"Now you will meet your end!" Sora roared. He rushed against the assassin with great neck speed. The look in his eyes and the aura was so intense that is caused even the infamous ultra class 'A' assassin to tremble with fear.

"This kid…" he uttered. "He ain't human!"

There was a sudden flash of light and loud clash of steel. Sora's keyblade made contact, breaking the ice tomb of Archibald. The assassin went flying into the remnants of the old seaside shack, demolishing it completely. And there the assassin lay, motionless and prostrated on the ground.

"My God…" Riku uttered. "What was that?" Sora stood up and withdrew his keyblade. Riku walked up to him. First, he observed the body of the assassin lying at the crumbled foundation of the shack. Then, he turned to see Sora change back to himself again. "What was that power you were using just now?"

"That was the power of the rage." Sora implied. He pointed at the collar around his throat. "It was all thanks to Cuchulain. He gave me this collar."

"That was awesome, Sora." Riku said, padding his friend on the back. "But you didn't happen to kill the guy in the process did you?"

"No, I didn't kill him. But he'll be waking up to a pain that would be deemed unbearable. So, he won't be coming after us anytime soon." It was then that Riku noticed the cut on Sora's hand.

"First thing's first." Grabbing his friend's left hand. "Let's get this hand bandaged up before we head back. Knowing Kairi, she'll want to know what happened and she'd really have a fit if she saw your hand in this state."

"Alright."-

The two sat on the old paopu tree that had acted as Riku's thinking spot years before. It was there that Riku, using the concealed bandages he brought with him, in case such an emergency emerged, mended Sora's hand.

"There we go, Sora." Riku implied. Sora moved his hand about.

"Thanks Riku."-

The two jumped from the old Paopu tree. But before walking back to their boats at the dock, Riku stopped for a while, gazing at an old head stone that was placed under the Paopu tree.

"A lone grave upon this isle." he uttered. "A great warrior is buried here."

"What're you talking about, Riku?" Sora asked. "There's no one lying underneath that tombstone. That was supposed to be your grave. Until Sneer and Goten wished you back to life with the dragon balls."

"Well, you know how I like to mock my own death." Riku chuckled. He then stared down at the tombstone in a silent and humorless manner. "Sora, if the time should come and I meet my fate, I want you to keep this grave open for me. That way, I can remain vigilant and watchful over the island and the children who play on it for years to come." Sora placed his hand upon his friend's shoulder.

"Now is not the time to think of your own demise." Sora said. "I've lost you before. I won't let it happen again."

"I suppose you're right." Riku smiled and the two headed back down to the dock. They passed by the assassin who was still unconscious on the ground. "I guess he'll be laying there for a while.

"After the attack I gave him, he probably won't be able to move for a week. The funny thing is that attack was no stronger than the one I used against Madam Caesar in the 'Ico Realm.'"-

"He won't be causing any trouble for us any time soon then."-

The two boarded their wooden vessels and began their journey back to the settlement.

At the hospital, Selphie had gone to visit Tidus, who was still heavily slumbering in his bed. She sat by his bedside, holding the young man's hand tightly. Taking a handkerchief, she wiped the small drops of sweat on his forehead.

"Poor Tidus…" she uttered. "I'm sorry that you had to endure so much pain and suffering for the past couple of days." It was at that moment that the nurse came into the room.

"Selphie…" the nurse uttered. "You have a phone call."

"Who is it?"-

"It's your friend, Kairi. She wishes to speak to you."-

"Very well." She walked out of the room and took the phone at the front desk. "Hello, Kairi?"

"Selphie…" Kairi uttered. "We have a problem here."

"What kind of a problem?" Selphie asked.

"Apparently, there is some one who is after Riku and Sora."-

"Someone is after Riku and Sora? Who?"-

"I don't know, but I believe that they may be trying to take their lives." There was a sudden silence between the two before Kairi began again. "Whoever it is, they really mean business. They even have the Universal Alliance on their tail. One of the alliance officers has come, acting as a bodyguard for Riku and Sora."

"Are the guys there right now?' Selphie asked.

"Not right now. They said that they had to take care of something and I can't help thinking that it's something regarding this situation. The officer tells me that these guys are after Riku and Sora and will go after anyone who has been acquainted with them. So, I fear for you and Tidus over there. Someone may come and try to hurt you."-  
"I understand. Then, I will stay here with Tidus. The hospital is full of employees right now and other patience. So, I think we're quite safe from harm."

"I want to go out an find the guys, but I…"-

"Don't do that!" Selphie advised. "If you go looking for Riku and Sora, you may end up encountering whoever it is that's tracking down the guys. The safest place right now is to stay where you are because the alliance agent is there to help you out if you need it."

"I understand. Then you take care and look after Tidus for us."-

"I will, Kairi. Good bye." She hung up the phone and walked back to the room where Tidus still lay asleep in bed. She once again sat by his bedside and watched over him. "Tidus. Something bad is going to happen and I don't know what it's about. But I fear that all of our lives are in danger from this outside threat. Whoever is after Riku and Sora, they may tend to kill all who have come in contact with them. Suddenly, Selphie saw Tidus's hand raise and clutch around her own hand.

"Selphie…" he uttered. His eyes slightly opened.

"Tidus…" Selphie replied. "You're awake…"-

"I… need… to help Riku and Sora…" He attempted to sit up in bed. But Selphie held him down.

"No Tidus. You're not well enough to start moving on your own. Never mind trying to help anyone."-

"I have to…" Tidus pushed her away and sat up. He dangled his feet over the edge of the bed and stood up on the cold floor. "I have to help… my friends…"-

"Tidus…"-

Back at Riku's house, Kairi rejoined Wakka in the living room. She sat down on the couch as Wakka was finishing eating a snack he had helped himself to from Riku's kitchen.

"Well, did you tell Selphie to stay put and watch Tidus?" Wakka asked.

"I did." Kairi replied.

"I thought you were going to go out and look for Riku and Sora. They've been gone for most of the day now, ya? They should have been back."-

"I want to go look for them, but Selphie advised that the best course of action is to stay here and keep ourselves safe. To add, it'll be dark soon and I don't want to risk having to walk through the streets knowing that there's some sort of homicidal lunatic on the prowl. Besides, I know that Riku and Sora would never allow themselves to fall prey to any enemy that confronts them." Kairi then stood up, noticing that inspector was missing. "By the way, where is Inspector Kuroda?"

"He should be in the back yard. I saw him out there, standing vigilant as if he's meditating, or something."-

"I'll go see."-

Kairi got up and walked to the backyard. There, Kuroda stood vigilant as if in meditation. She walked up to him.

"Are you alright, Inspector?" Kairi asked.

"I am just taking in a little bit of fresh air and preparing myself for the next battle." Kuroda replied. He unsheathed his sword half way and flicked his finger upon the sharpened steel. Kairi took a closer look at it and realized what it was.

"That's an Imperial katana. Where did you get it?"-

"It was a little souvenir that I picked some time ago. To me these swords are the strongest in the Universe. Light, sturdy, and strong all at once. It was hard to persuade the alliance officials to allow me to carry such a high quality blade, but I would never trade this blade with anything else." There was a smile on his face. Not those of a villain, but of a happy-go-lucky look that only Sora was known for doing. "You might say that I've come quite attached to this weapon."

Kairi only smiled and walked away, leaving the inspector alone to meditate further.

The sun was beginning to touch down in the west, turning the sky a bright gold. It was at this time that Kairi had regressed to waiting outside at the front gate, hoping to see the two friends. She by now had taken one of Riku's blankets and wrapped it around her for a shoal. There she waited in the coolness of the dusk, anxiously hoping for the safe return of Riku and Sora. Sure enough, she saw, coming towards her, from down the road, Riku and Sora.

"Riku!" she cried. "Sora, you're back!"

"Kairi?" Riku uttered. "What're you doing out here?"

"What do you think! I was waiting for you two to return!"-

"You seem stressed." Sora implied. "Did something happen while we were gone?"

"Why the hell are you two acting so calmly about everything when you know someone is after you!"-

"Kairi…" Riku uttered, stopping in his place. "Where did you hear that?"

"Did you think I wasn't going to find out about that! If it wasn't for the Universal Alliance getting involved here, I might not have realized what was going on!"-

"The Universal Alliance?" Sora asked. "What does the Universal Alliance have to do with anything?"

"Apparently, they caught wind of the activity that was going on here and knew that your lives were in danger." She led the two from the gate, through the house, towards the backyard. "That's why they took the liberty of sending one of their top agents to act as a bodyguard for you."

"An agent?"-

"Bodyguard?" Riku uttered.

"Now, none of us have to worry about any prowlers anymore with this man here!" Kairi presented Riku and Sora to the inspector. "This is assistant inspector Yamagata Kuroda and he will be watching after you guys for awhile."

But as the two keybearers laid eyes on the inspector, their eyes grew large with fear and shock. The inspector remained standing, his back towards them.

"You had a hard time with Archibald didn't you." The inspector uttered. "You've diminished in your strength more than I had anticipated." There was a sudden silence between them.

"Riku…" Sora whispered.

"I know…" Riku replied. The inspector turned his head slightly, as if to hear better the comments that came from the mouths of the young men.

"The last time I think we did battle was at the foundations of Oogie Boogie Manner, just a few miles from Halloween Town, was it not?" the inspector uttered. "It's been six years since that day hasn't it."

"Riku? Sora?" Kairi said. "Do you know inspector Kuroda?"

"I see." Riku implied. "So you decided to change your name to Yamagata Kuroda, eh? It figures that you'd do something like that. Especially, when one has a record as twisted and marked for blood as yours."

"Six years." Kuroda uttered. "Six years… It's only two little words to utter. And six years can seem insignificant compared to ten, or even twenty. But these past six years, knowing that our little dispute ended without any identifiable outcome, was a hell to live through."

"I can't believe that you've come all this way just to settle the score!" Sora shouted.

"For you two it was well worth it." The inspector continued.

"Riku, Sora?" Kairi uttered.

"You came all this way seeking retribution against us." Riku said. "But who would have thought that you would stoop down to using tactics like this? The last time we did battle, you were a man of chivalry, hoping to keep everything honorable between us. But now, when we suspect it's you, you send a mongrel dog to face us instead of having the guts to confront us directly. I can't believe you would stoop so low! I guess six years was enough time for you to lower yourself to the level of vermin! Were you hoping to not dirty your hands? Or is this only a pebble of a much larger picture?" By this time, hearing this talk, Wakka and Kairi's eyes grew large with fear, not knowing what was going on. Not know how Riku and Sora know Kuroda. "But I guess a man of vengeance will always remain a man of vengeance. And an Imperial will always remain an Imperial!"

"Imperial!" Wakka asked, stunned. "He's an Imperial?"

"Oh my…" Kairi uttered.

"He is none other than one of the infamous three!" Riku shouted. "He is none other than Arinario Triiken, former commander of the 2nd Gatler tank Division!"

"He…he's a Gatler General! Like the one you mentioned about before!"-

"Then this is the guy!" Wakka uttered, in fear. "The guy who's trying to go after Riku and Sora!"

Triiken began to walk closer and closer to Riku and Sora, at a slow and steady pace.

"I knew that your swordsman skills had diminished." Triiken began. "But I never thought that your intellect would be this depleted as well. Archibald was a mongrel dog, you say? A fool weakling like him could never hope to fulfill the roll of a dog. Someone as incompetent, scurvy, and arrogant as he isn't worthy of such a title. We of the Gatler Generals know the power of the keybearers better than anyone else. Especially me, when having to go head to head with the infamous Child of Darkness. However, you had trouble today, even against the likes of a weak opponent like Archibald. Had you been in top shape, you would have been able to defeat him within a matter of seconds. However, because your strength had diminished over the past six years, due to the lack of powerful opponents and an undisturbed peace, you had a difficult bout against him. To add, the situation itself was no more safe for your friends. The real Child of Darkness would have seen this most elaborate plan unfold from the start. While you had your hands full fighting against Archibald, I was here the whole time. To top it off, your ignorant friends dropped their guard so easily simply because I said that I was an agent of the Universal Alliance and wore an Alliance uniform. There lives were open to me. In other words, if I had a desire to kill them, I could have done so at anytime I pleased." There was sudden silence before Triiken began again, stopping just a few feet before the keybearers. "However, this wasn't the first incident when your loved ones were in danger of being disposed of. When Master Cavendish and Lord Arakis made their first appearance upon Destiny Island six years ago, then that little incident in Traverse Town, then in the 'Seed Realm' and the 'Ico Realm,' even as far as Halloween Town when your young friend Sora confronted the infamous General Kai, leader of the Cavendish Shinobis, at a time when he needed your help the most, you allowed the people in your life, your loved ones, your closest acquaintances, to fall so easily into the hands of your enemies. And even more pathetic, you allowed a complete fool like General Ameba to gain the advantage over you, to torture and torment you. Such mediocre strength is as good as nothing and the words of a hypocrite are empty words that disgust me. To allow yourself to be dragged into a situation, which you should have seen coming from the very beginning. How pathetic a person you have become, Riku. I no longer hold you in the esteemed position as I had once seen you."

"You take that back!" Sora shouted, defending his friend. "The only reason why Riku placed himself in those tight situations is because he was trying to ensure the safety of those around him. He was only trying to protect those around him. That's the only reason. Every time, something was wrong and his friends were in danger, Riku would always be there to help. He would always make the greatest effort to come to our aid. Even if he came too late, or at the last minute, there is no question that Riku would always make the effort to be there. So you should give him the proper respect than what you've shown towards him now, you creep!"

"Is that so? Then, what about your young friend, Tidus, the Defeater of Sin? If I had the urge to do so, I could have ended his life at that very minute. I didn't see Riku coming to the rescue during that incident."

"You…you did that to Tidus?"-

"As you said before, Riku," Triiken continued. "Six years was enough time for someone like me to lower myself to the level of vermin. At least I still obtain the potency of a true warrior who can guarantee victory every time. Unlike you, who has been drowned in a passive mind after six years of an undisturbed peace in this realm, a warrior who has accepted peaceful ways and does not wish to unleash the gift that was given to him by birth? How could the Child of Darkness ever learn to accept such a laid back, mediocre life and deny the use of his inner gift, the gift of darkness? And yet you stand there saying that you never intend to use it ever again? By doing so, you could never hope to defeat me in battle."

"I've managed to hold my own against you before without delving into the darkness." Riku said. "I don't need the power of darkness to ensure victory because I know of the consequences that would occur if I were to do so. I would lose myself in darkness and become a completely different man, the man who so desperately tried to kill his best friend ten years before at Hollow Bastion. It is because of that, that I will not regress to using the power of the dark element."

"But you have used the darkness before. When you fought against Kahn in the 'Rurouni Realm,' you didn't seem to hold back in using the dark element. Even when confronting General Kai, you used the power of the Dark Element to aid in the battle."-

"But when I did, I could feel my own consciousness slip away. That is why, after our ordeal, I would never use the dark power again."-

"You say you lose yourself when delving into the darkness. However, you also lose who you are when you deny yourself of your natural gifts." Triiken unsheathed his sword and crouched down in the _Noctin Exmortin_ stance. "Then if you are so determined to take your stance in the direction you have chosen, denying your own strength, I myself shall take the responsibility of denying you of your entire false existence. I challenge you to a one on one duel, Keyblade master!" Riku's friends stayed close to him. "What are you waiting for now? Are you just going to stand there and allow your friends to feel the power of the Noctin Exmortin as well?"

Riku stepped forward into the open courtyard, keyblade appearing in his hand.

"Riku…" Sora utters. "You don't have to fight this guy alone. You and I can fuse to become one warrior. Our power will be doubled, our skills will be unrivaled, and double keyblade attacks will be advantageous."

"That's a tempting offer, Sora," Riku replied, "but not this time."

"Why not?"-

"This is a fight between him and me. He's not using any sort of fusion to aid him in this fight. So a fusion would not be the proper way to test out my own strength." Riku stepped down to face Triiken. "From this point on, no matter what happens, no matter what trouble I am in, I don't want any of you to interfere. Is that clear?"

"But Riku…"-

"Just have faith in me. Believe in me, Sora. Believe in me you guys."-

"I believe in you." Kairi said.

"It's you all the way, Riku!" Wakka cheered.

"I'm here for you, Riku!" Sora shouted. "Your friends are with you all the way!"

"Thanks." Riku replied. The two combatants took there positions opposite each other. Triiken took his stance with the Noctin Exmortin, crouching on his left leg, letting the weight bear on it. His sword lay nestled in the crotch of his index finger and his thumb at the underside of his right hand and the hilt of the sword pulled back by his left. There was a moment of silence as the two combatants made ready for the face off.

It was then that there was the sound of the grandfather clock in the house ringing out its individual clangs of the bell, determining what time it was. As the last ring of the bell sounded, Triiken suddenly rushed forward with incredible speed against Riku. Riku instantly saw the attack and leaped into the air, avoiding the head on thrust, by only a few inches.

"He dodged it!" Sora said. "Riku's not weak! He's the best there is!"

"That's showing him, Riku!" Wakka added.

"Do you honestly think you've won because you've dodged one attack!" Triiken shouted. "Well, you're wrong, key bearer!" Triiken suddenly flipped into the air in a spinning motion and slashed Riku across the chest with his sword. Riku fell to the ground, landing on his feet. He grasped at the slash wound that was made. The slash streaked across his chest.

"Riku!" Sora shouted.

"You fool." Triiken explained. "Despite your ability to dodge the attack, doesn't guarantee that you've effectively avoided it altogether. I am able to transform my attack from a thrust to side slash, or an overhead slash. By using the momentum of weight and speed, I can transport all my thrusting strength into a slashing movement without pause. Had you decided to dodge to the side, I could have easily side slashed. When you leap straight into the air, I can use an overhead slash to strike you. It was this style of attack that inspired the basic form for Saito's Gatotsu."

"So that means he has every tactical advantage over me." Riku uttered to himself. "And now that I have a crippling wound across my chest, this battle may be more than what I have bargained for."


	6. Unveiling

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Unveiling**_

The battle had made a sudden shift as Riku had emerged as the first to be wounded in the confrontation. Triiken stood with his sword in his hand, watching as the blood slowly dripped from Riku's open wound.

"I'm rather astonished to see that you are still alive even after that attack." Triiken said. "But then again, I am not contending with my average opponent. However, despite your strength, you are no match for the one thrust attack that is the basis of all thrust attacks. It is because the Imperial Thrust is so universal that it can easily counter any other thrust attack. This strike, which was created by his late Excellency, Lord Drako Arakis, has gained a reputation for being the superior thrusting attack of all time, being able to adapt to any close combat situation. Especially, the variation that I had created and I alone had perfected, The Noctin Exmortin."

"What does Noctin Exmortin mean anyway?" Sora asked.

"It stands for one who meets their demise at the hands of shadows and emptiness."-

"The Dark Death." Riku implied.

"You know your Oceanarian terms quite well, Riku. I commend you."-

"I know that by facing such a durable attack that can instantly transform itself; I have a narrow margin of dodging. I have to somehow strike before he does." Riku drew his hand back, accumulating his energy into one spot. "Right now, the best course of action would be to demobilize him with an elemental attack." He noticed Triiken was crouched down again in that same pose.

"That stance," Kairi uttered, "Is it the Noctin Exmortin again!"

"Riku," Sora shouted, "look out!"

Triiken suddenly came charging again, using his infamous attack. But this time, Riku was ready. He waited for the moment when Triiken would deploy the attack and lunge the sword forward. Then, at that critical moment, Riku threw forth his hand and fired the Iceberg Shurikens at point blank range. However, Triiken saw the attack coming and somersaulted over Riku's head, his sword still in the striking position.

"Nice try," Triiken chuckled, "but not good enough!" He thrust his sword into Riku's back. Riku, sensing the blade coming closer, dodged in time, but the sword managed to cut him a little at his side. The general landed on the ground, rolling and flipping back onto his feet. "You did better than I anticipated. Who would have thought you would use an elemental attack at point plank range. You hoped to demobilize me didn't you. But I could sense that inner strength accumulating from the start. As long as I have the ability to sense power levels, along with the power of my Noctin Exmortin, I have no open weakness visible whatsoever."

"Riku!" Kairi cried. She attempted to rush to Riku's side, but Sora grabbed hold of her and prevented her from advancing any further. "Please Sora! Riku's in trouble!"

"You think I don't know that, Kairi!" Sora replied. "Right now, it's Riku's battle. He does not want us to intervene, no matter what. I will honor his word by doing as he says."

"Sora…" Kairi could only turn and watch what was about to happen.

"So, this is as much skill you have left?" Triiken scoffed. "You certainly have been slacking off then, these past six years." But as Triiken observed, there was something different about Riku after that last attack. His eyes had changed, growing intense in heat, as if he became more determined to redeem himself. To add, a dark shadow began to accumulate around his body. "What is this? Riku's appearance has changed to what it was when we first began this fight."

It was not only Triiken who witnessed the change in appearance. Sora also saw this strange phenomenon. It was an appearance that was familiar to him.

"That aura…" Sora uttered to himself. "I recognize that aura. Could it be that Riku's… delving into the darkness? Is he attempting to summon its power? But that can't be. He vowed never to use the dark power ever again. But this feeling in my heart, this pain. Is it possible that the darkness within Riku's heart is attempting to unleash itself against his will? It has been a long time since Riku depended upon the dark powers. Even in those fights against the Empire. Even when fighting against General Kai, he refused to use the dark powers within him to their absolute limit, fearing that he may be overcome by it, changing him completely. Despite the teachings he's learned from the past, Riku still considers the darkness his enemy, despite it being a gift given to him. But he's been holding it back for so long that the darkness has been accumulating more and more within him. Soon, the seal that's been holding it back this whole time will break."

"If you are quite finished resting," Triiken continued, "may we proceed!"

Riku stood up to face his opponent once again.

"Let's continue." Riku said. He drew his keyblade before him. Triiken crouched down in the Noctin Exmortin stance, pulling the sword back with his left hand and resting the blade between the index and thumb of his right.

At that moment, Triiken rushed again, striking at Riku, but Riku dodged the attack evading the blade by a few inches. Triiken transformed his thrust into a side slash. However, this time, what he encountered was a decoy, an afterimage of Riku. He felt Riku appear at his extreme rear. Triiken, side-kicked his leg, hit Riku in the gut. Riku went flying back, tumbling on the ground.

"What was that?" Triiken thought to himself. "That surpassed my own expectations. And this power that I'm sensing from him. Could it be…?" Triiken saw that Riku had changed again. His body seemed to be covered in shadows. "Yes, as I had expected. With each strike I throw upon him, the more the seal in his heart breaks. The darkness begins to leak out little by little and soon the young key bearer will return to what he was before. His former self, the one who was consumed by the darkness, The Child of Darkness."

By this time, even Wakka and Kairi could see the change in appearance.

"What's going on with Riku?" Wakka asked. "He's changed."

"He seems darker now?" Kairi uttered. She turned to Sora. "Sora? What's going on? What's happening to Riku?"

"It's begun…" Sora uttered. "I can't believe that Riku will be overwhelmed today of all days."

"What do you mean he'll be overwhelmed? Overwhelmed by what! Tell me Sora! What's happening to Riku!"-

"Remember how we used to tell you how Riku was once overwhelmed by darkness?"-

"You mean…?"-

"Yes. Riku's darkness will emerge once again and he will become the Riku I fought ten years ago at Hollow Bastion. He will reemerge as Dark Riku, The Child of Darkness."-

"But what will happen when he becomes Dark Riku?"-

"If Riku loses the light, if he gives in to the darkness, his personality will change. He will no longer be the Riku we know, but an evil and sinister Riku who embraces only the darkness. The Riku we know will be gone forever."-

"No!" Kairi cried out. "We have to stop him."

"This is something that we cannot intervene with this time." Sora stepped down, observing the fight even closer. "It's up to Riku to decide whether he will keep the darkness at bay, or if he'll be completely overcome by it. It's his call."

"But we can stop this! Stop the fight! We have to stop the fight, Sora!"-

"That's impossible." a voice uttered. Kairi, Sora, and Wakka turned to see Tidus; his shoulder slumped around Selphie's neck, coming towards them.

"Tidus!" Kairi cried.

"You're supposed to be in the hospital." Wakka uttered.

"I wanted to see this fight." Tidus said. "Those two aren't fighting here on Destiny Island, but rather doing battle as they did six years ago."

"It's the battle of Halloween Town all over again." Sora added. "I want you all to watch because this is the first that you would have seen this sudden change."

"Change?" Selphie asked. "What do you mean change?"-

"Watch." Sora uttered.

There was a sudden pause in the confrontation as Triiken and Riku stood head to head against one another. Riku, however, was not achieving the better of the deal. He had been wounded twice already and the energy from his body began to seep away. However, the darkness within his heart made up for that lost stamina.

"What's your call, Riku?" Triiken asked. "You know you can't beat me as you are now. Unleash your true rage. Open your heart to the darkness and become darkness itself. Bring back the Child of Darkness, so that I may see for the first time if the rumors are true about your legendary strength. The strength that was used to battle Sora."

Suddenly, Riku began to cry out at the top of his lungs. His body was suddenly consumed by the darkness. Then from that shadow, Riku's appearance had changed completely. There he stood, dressed in the Heartless garment of darkness, that dark body suit with the symbol of the Heartless placed upon his chest.

"The darkness will destroy you." Riku implied.

"What's happened to Riku?" Kairi asked. "He's changed completely."

"Whoa!" Tidus uttered.

"Riku has transformed into Dark Riku." Sora uttered. "He is again the way as he once was those many years ago. He has transformed into his former self, the opponent that I had almost lost my life and my heart to at Hollow Bastion."

"So this is what Dark Riku looks like." Wakka uttered.

"So, it has commenced." Triiken uttered. "By facing me in battle, you have once again returned to what you once were. But I never would have thought that there would be this type of transformation." This time, he shifted his sword from his left hand to his right hand. "From this point on, I can no longer play around with you."

"He changed hands." Wakka said.

"That must be his dominant arm then." Sora explained. "By using his dominant arm, he increases the speed and strength of his attack. Now that Riku has transformed into Dark Riku, Triiken knows better than to use the primary stage of his attack. As a result, he moves to his secondary stage."

"Prepare yourself, Riku!" Triiken lunged forth with all the possible strength he had. Riku's reaction time was quicker this time, dodging the thrust attack as if it were nothing. He appeared again behind Triiken. Triiken swerved around with a side slash, but hit only a shadow decoy. Riku appeared again, behind Triiken, from the extreme rear. Triiken attempted to strike at the young warrior, but was met again by another shadow decoy. Riku emerged again, striking Triiken in the back. This time successfully. He struck the general at the back of the head. Triiken flew forward, slamming into the stone wall that bordered the house.

"The power of your attack is without a doubt unrivaled." Riku uttered. "However, it is not as invincible as you thought. After seeing it four times, I know at least one or two ways around it." Triiken staggered to his feet, the clouds of dust and debris still encircling him. "Stand up, Triiken. This would a pitiful ending indeed for our first battle in six years."

"I wasn't expecting this though." Triiken uttered. "But it doesn't matter now. If it is a true battle you want, then it's a true battle you'll get." As he emerged, Sora noticed that Triiken's eyes too had changed.

"Those eyes." Sora uttered.

"This battle is turning out better than I had expected." Triiken took his stance, but this time, it was a stance completely different from his earlier attack. This time, he held the sword in front of him at an angle. His right hand holding the hilt at eye level in front of him, with the blade held up by his right, between the index and thumb. "Now I can unleash more techniques within my arsenal. This is another one of my basic techniques, the Vigra Noctin, meaning Gallant Darkness."

"That stance," Riku uttered, "That stance is almost identical to my own. He must be planning to use a swift attack. Very well, then the least I could do is oblige him." Riku took his famous swift attack stance, with keyblade held at eye level and his left hand extended in front of him. He moved slowly towards Triiken. "Let's go."

Triiken suddenly attack, clashing with the keyblade. Riku did a quick retaliation, doing a turn about strike. Then, he struck down and outward with the keyblade. However, his attacks, which were effective against many enemies in the past, including Sora at Hollow Bastion ten years before, did not seem to work against Triiken. Triiken himself was using the same techniques and managed to evade and dodge each attack. For ten minutes the two clashed with one another, each not being able to inflict any further damage. The intense swordplay was without rival as Imperial steel clashed with the keyblade. Riku engaged in teleportation tricks and deployed everything that he had learned from the past including his most recently learned: Iceberg Shurikens, Cinder Canister, Hurricane Slash, and Darkness Decoys. However, his elemental attacks were not as effective as he had expected as Triiken was able to elude each attack and either deflect, or evade it. But Triiken's own abilities were no more effective than Riku's. He continued to battle head with his present techniques hoping that as some point Riku would reveal a flaw in his technique and Triiken could take advantage of it.

"Some one, stop them!" Kairi cried. "If this keeps up, Riku will be lost completely."

"We can't." Sora said. "It's Riku's own decision to make, not ours. Only he can prevent himself from being completely overwhelmed."

"But what if the darkness should swallow his heart?"-

"As long as we have faith in Riku, and believe that he will come back to us, then he will. We're his friends and we should stand by his side no matter what happens."-

"I'm with you there!" Tidus said.

"Me too!" added Selphie.

"We're here for him all the way, ya!" Wakka added.

"Have faith in Riku." Sora uttered. "He's never given up on us. Let's not give up on him."

"Sora…" Kairi uttered. She clutched her hands into tight fists. "You're right. I should have confidence."

"Ten minutes of battling and yet we're still at a stalemate." Triiken uttered.

"But not for long." Riku implied. He suddenly began to hover as a dark aura began to accumulate around him. "Dodge this!" Riku suddenly made a rushing thrust attack straight at Triiken. Triiken easily dodged the attack, but Riku suddenly appeared again. Again Triiken dodged, but again Riku appeared, using the darkness to make multiple attacks from all directions around Triiken in a 360 degree area. Finally, with one last blow, Riku slammed himself into the ground and a mighty darkness energy wave bellowed out along the ground. Triiken, not seeing the attack on time was hit by one of the waves. This gave Riku the upper hand against him. Riku took the opportunity to strike Triiken down to the ground with an over the head strike. Triiken went flying to the ground, but he managed to regain stamina and somersaulted onto the ground. But as he turned, he saw Riku coming at him in a dramatic rush.

"Now let's see how you enjoy this thrust attack!" Riku shouted. "The thrust attack I picked up in the 'Rurouni Realm,' compliments of Kenshin Himura. Kuzu ryu sen!" Triiken was struck at all nine points of his body all at once. He once against slammed into the stone wall.

"That's showing him!" Wakka cheered. "Give that old Gatler general a one and a two and a three!"

"Keep it up!" Tidus and Selphie added.

"Go for it!" Kairi cried.

"That's the way!" Sora shouted. "Give it to him, Riku!"

"I guess you weren't as tough as I thought you were." Riku said.

"That was rather unexpected though." Triiken uttered, staggering to his feet. "Especially that last stage. I never would have thought someone could deploy a thrust attack that could hit all nine points of the body at once. However, it was because you attacked all nine points at once that your thrust attack had been weakened." As Triiken stood up, there was barely a scratch on him from the Kuzu ryu sen.

"I don't believe it." Sora uttered to himself. "Not even a scratch on him. And that was supposed to be the second strongest attack of the Hiten Mitsurugi style."

"Instead of concentrating on one point, you decided to concentrate on attacking nine points at once. As a result, your attack power was divided by nine. That's the reason I'm still alive right now. Besides, that was a one shot success. I won't be falling for that same attack again."-

"You assume too much." Riku uttered.

"Prove me wrong then."-

"I will."-

Riku took his stance with the Kuzu ryu sen and rushed again. But Triiken didn't bother dodging. Instead, he took an unexpected turn and stood sideways, leaving only the right side of his body exposed. He then crouched so as not to expose his full height. He then threw his sword out in front of him. There was a bright flash of light and in an instant, the attack was over. However, Riku suddenly collapsed soon after. He had received another slash wound on the other side of his body, just below his rib cage.

"Riku!" Sora cried. The others gasped at what they saw. Riku staggered to his feet.

"You took the Kuzu ryu sen head on." Riku uttered. "And yet you still managed to inflict more damage on me than I on you. But how can that be?"

"Quite simple." Triiken explained. "The Kuzu ryu sen is a powerful attack indeed, striking all nine critical points of the body at once. So in order to avoid what happened last time, I gave you less of an area to strike. By turning to the side, exposing only the right side of my body to attack, I subtract the effectiveness of at least six of those strikes. To add, when crouching down on the ground, I not only reinforced my stance when met with your attack, but I also decreased the points of attack by two, leaving only one weak thrust. As well, I thrust my own sword out to increase my own chances of delivering a fatal blow and impaling you upon my sword. You, however, are more skilled than I had expected you to be. Managing to see my retaliatory strike and evade it at the last moment. Had you seen it too late, the out come would have been different and you would have been skewered at the end of my blade. I must give praise to your resolution of the matter."

"Has Riku already run out of options?" Sora thought to himself.

"It looks like you're out of ideas, boy."-

"Not so fast." Riku uttered. "I still have a few other techniques that I want to show you!" Riku suddenly jumped high into the air and descended back to the ground with incredible speed. His keyblade was drawn straight in front of him. His descent targeted Triiken from above. But Triiken saw the attack coming and dodged quickly out of the way, without trouble. But as Riku made impact with the ground, he rebounded into the sky again and descended to the ground, targeting Triiken again. Again Triiken managed to dodge the attack without further difficulty. The process was repeated several times. By the eighth and ninth attempted strike, Triiken began to grown irritated.

"Are you just trying to provoke me now?" Triiken asked.

"Not exactly!" Riku suddenly changed his stance on the final descent. The dark power burned fiercely from within him. At that moment, he failed to hit the ground. Instead, Riku hovered in the air for a second, or two, the dark power accumulating a dark aura that surrounded his body. The young man then engaged in the inter-dimensional thrust attack again. This time however, Triiken was completely off guard. He was stricken simultaneously from the attack, not able to retaliate, being pummeled back and forth and back and forth. "I knew that changing my strategy would end up catching you off guard." Riku went for the coup de grace of his attack, attempting to slam his power straight into Triiken with all the strength he had. "This is over for you!"

"You idiot!" Triiken roared. "You honestly think you've gained the upper hand!" Before Riku could complete the final stage of his attack, Triiken suddenly appeared to his side and punched the young man off his course. Riku fell to the ground, landing near his friends watched. "Attempting to use your full strength to finish me off with one final blow was a costly mistake. It was because you tried to summon your full strength at that moment that you forgot about timing. That small margin of delayed time allowed me to regain stamina and retaliate against you."

"Riku!" Kairi cried.

"Are you alright, Riku?" Sora asked. But Riku remained silent as he stood up and taking his stance to fight Triiken again.

"You've done well, young Riku." Triiken chuckled. "I think this has been the first time that you have been fighting at full strength. And this is the first time in over fifteen years that I've actually shed blood for an opponent. You should feel honored to have succeeded where many others have failed." Triiken took his stance again. "However, I'm starting to get a little irritated with the fact that you're still standing here. This time, I will attack you with the true Noctin Exmortin! No more holding back!" Triiken took his stance for the Noctin Exmortin once again. But this time, the stance was completely different from the first two that he used. Instead, his held the sword with both hands level to his eyes. The right hand placed at the top half of the hilt while the left held the bottom half. The sword was flipped with blade facing upward. He crouched down, pressing the weight on his right leg. "Let us begin."

Triiken suddenly attacked with great speed, which surpassed his usual attack by at least three times. He thrust the sword in front of him so fast, there was barely anytime to react. But Riku saw the attack coming and by a narrow margin, dodged without a scratch. He then appeared behind Triiken attempting to exploit that same weakness, attacking on the extreme flank.

"Triiken should know by now that a thrust attack like that won't work on Riku anymore." Sora thought to himself. "His back is completely vulnerable." But as Sora had finished uttering those words, a strange twist of fate became apparent. As Riku attempted to slash at Triiken from behind again, he realized that Triiken had without pause transformed from offensive to defensive, slinging the sword behind him, blocking his attack. Riku's keyblade made stiff resistance this time.

"Not so easy as before is it!" Triiken then forced Riku's blade upward and lunged back. Riku saw the blade coming and dodged. But this time, he did not emerge completely unscathed. The sword managed to cut the right side of his neck, nearly severing his jugular. Riku's eyes grew large with fear. Had Triiken finally done it? Had he finished what he started at Halloween Town six years before? The key bearer backed off and grasped at the cut with his hand. The sword had been a few millimeters away from severing the right jugular. "Well, it seems you've managed to dodge my thrust. If it wasn't for your quick reflexes, the sword would have cut your main artery and that would have been a fatal hit indeed."

"Riku!" Sora cried. His friends could only watch as Riku nearly lost his life to the infamous Gatler General.

"This is the true form of the Noctin Exmortin, which I've dubbed the Noctin Exmortin Imperin, meaning the Imperial Dark Death." Triiken explained. "The attack allows me to transform the lung attack into any other type of offense, or defense I please. And unlike the regular thrust attack, this one allows me to defend myself even from behind." Triiken took the stance again. "Let's try the attack for a second time shall we?"

"That same stance..." Wakka uttered.

"It's another one of those attacks!" Tidus added.

"Here we go!" Triiken shouted. He lunged again with the Noctin Exmortin Imperin. Riku, still in a daze, shook himself out of his hypnosis, to see the attack approaching in time, and he dodged without pause. "It's not over yet!" Riku turned to see Triiken retaliating again. Riku then again dodged. But as he did, he saw Triiken appear again with that same lunge. Again he evaded, but again the general attacked. Then, on the fourth attempt, Triiken struck a near fatal hit, cutting the left side of Riku's throat. Riku had managed to dodge in time, but the damage had been done and blood seeped from a large cut on his throat. However, the strike did not severe his jugular. He fell to the ground in utter exhaustion.

"A multi-directional thrust attack." Sora uttered to himself. "That was a style similar to both Cloud's Sonic Blade and Riku's own inter-dimensional thrust."

"Riku!" Kairi cried. "Get up! Please!"

Riku staggered to his feet, blood seeped from the open wounds in his neck. Still, he took his stance.

"The only way for me to properly cripple Triiken is to deprive him of his weapon." Riku thought to himself. "However, I can only counterattack with my own thrust. Elemental attacks won't work on him so long as he's able to sense power levels accumulating within me." Riku stood forming the Kuzu ryu sen.

"Shall we begin?" Triiken said, taking the stance of the Noctin Exmortin Imperin.

"I'm ready."-

Triiken suddenly attacked with full force, accumulating speeds that were ten times faster than before. But Riku was ready this time. As Triiken deployed his sword in front of him, Riku unleashed his own attack. There was a bright flash of light. Suddenly, from that light; a shiny, spinning object came at the observers. It hit the side of the house, sticking deep into the wood. Wakka, standing closest to the place of impact, realized that the object lodged in the wood was none other than half of Triiken's blade. The observers saw that Riku and Triiken stood with their backs towards each other. Triiken's blade had been severed in two.

"Man…" Sora uttered. "Riku managed to cut Triiken's blade in half. This battle is over."

"That young man is quite resourceful." Triiken uttered. "He knew he couldn't possibly evade the thrust of the Noctin Exmortin Imperin, so his only option was to counter my thrust attack with his own thrust attack. Using the Kuzu ryu sen, he concentrated all nine strikes on the middle of my blade, causing it to fracture and break. Still…"

"You've just lost the effectiveness of your sword." Riku uttered. "There's no point in continuing. You can't beat me as you are now." But still, despite his warning, Riku noticed Triiken taking the stance of the regular Noctin Exmortin again.

"What's up with that?" Tidus asked. "Doesn't he see that his sword is broken?"

"He doesn't stand a chance against Riku with a broken blade." Sora uttered.

"I guess you Imperials never knew when it was in your best interest to quit." Riku said. "Is your life so expendable?"

"As a Gatler General who follows the old way of the Empire," Triiken uttered, "I abide my actions from the ancient Imperial code 'Death before Dishonor.' And fleeing before the enemy in front of you is not an option!" Triiken threw the hilt of his sword straight at Riku. Riku, experiencing near fatal cuts to the throat, and several other wounds, did not care of the swords impact. He thrust out his hand and deflected the broken blade off course, the blade itself cutting through his glove and into his flesh. But still, he did not flinch. Triiken was unarmed now and the battle was strictly in his favor.

"He chooses honor over life as a true Imperial should." Riku uttered. "How pathetic, throwing your life away for the sake of pride alone."

"This fight is over." Sora uttered. But it was then that he saw a bright light appear at Triiken's extended index finger, which was placed in front against Riku. "Oh no! He's gonna…!" But it was too late.

"You think just because I have no sword that I'm completely defenseless!" Triiken uttered. From his finger, an energy beam blew out and made impact with Riku's right arm at point blank range. The impact jolted Riku, knocking the keyblade out of his hand. The impact itself, left Riku's arm useless for the duration of the battle.

"What was that!" Tidus uttered.

"Oh my God!" Sora uttered. "Triiken used an energy beam!" With the keyblade out of his reach, Riku was left vulnerable to attack. Triiken did a multi-punch strike to Riku's gut, causing blood to spurt out of the young man's mouth. "Without his keyblade, Riku's defenseless."

Triiken unbuckled the best around his waist and wrapped it around Riku's throat. He then jerked Riku upward, choking him.

"What's he trying to do?" Tidus asked. "Is he trying to snap Riku's neck in half?"

"I don't think it's something as merciful as that." Sora uttered. "Breaking Riku's neck would be a gentle way of dying. It's instant death for the victim. Triiken definitely has Riku in a strangle hold."

"That means he's trying to suffocate him!"-

"Riku!" Kairi cried. Riku thrashed about violently, but could not free himself from his opponent's stranglehold. To add, he could not attempt a head but do the the thickness of the belt that had him confined.

"Just because you deprived me of my weapon doesn't mean that I can't fight back." Triiken uttered. "One must not depend on the use of a weapon alone."

Riku, with one eye half open, gazed to see his keyblade lying on the ground. With all of his strength and heart, he grasped for the blade. Suddenly, the keyblade disappeared and reemerged in Riku's left hand. With the hilt of the keyblade, he slammed it into the general side. Triiken flinched in pain, loosening his grip on the belt. This slack allowed Riku to jolt his head back, knocking Triiken in the chin. The two separated from one another.

"This is an intense battle." Sora uttered to himself. "Riku barely has enough strength as it is. And he can't use the Curaga spell because that spell only replenishes the will to fight, but what good is that when there is barely any physical strength for the body itself. Even Triiken is completely exhausted from those last few attacks that Riku inflicted on him. Both have been drained of much of their energy. I guess in this particular scenario, only he who can endure the longest will survive."

"That was a marvelous confrontation." Triiken uttered. "However, we have not come to any resolve, or outcome. Except for the fact that we are both drained of our energy." Triiken loosened up his shoulders and cracked his knuckles together. "What do you say that we finish this and see who truly is the best of the best here."

"I agree." Riku uttered. "This battle will decide which one of us deserves the right to go on living."

On the sidelines, Kairi fell to her knees and began to cry.

"Why?" she uttered. "Why is Riku doing this? Why is he so eager to throw his own life away for the sake of his pride?"

"Kairi…" Sora uttered, comforting her. Kairi threw her face into his chest and wept. She looked up a Sora.

"Why is Riku doing this, Sora? Is his life so expendable? Does he want to die that much? He's had close brushes with death too many times in this fight! What is he trying to prove? Tell my Sora! Tell me!" She began to cry again, pressing her face on Sora's chest. "Stop them! Please, stop them, Sora!"

"This battle is out of my grasp, Kairi. If I intervene, Riku will have to worry about my own safety. And that is something I don't want to burden him with."-

"Sora…"-

"This time, no more holding back!" Triiken suddenly began to power up with the full extent of his power. A bright red aura bellowed forth, causing the winds to pick up and blow violently in the courtyard.

"So, you've been holding back this whole time, eh?" Riku uttered. "So have I…" Riku's dark aura began to accumulate as well, growing greater with every passing second.

"I can't believe it." Sora said. "Riku's actually using the full strength of the darkness within his heart, unleashing everything without holding back. But if he continues to delve into the darkness at this rate, he may not regress to the same Riku we know."

"Now let us see how the Child of Darkness does against the infamous leader of the 2nd Gatler division!" Triiken roared.

"Die!" Riku shouted at the top of his lungs.

Everything seemed to slow down at that moment as both combatants charged against each other again. Kairi continued to weep, not daring to witness what would happen. Sora and the others could only watch as the final conclusion was beginning to unfold before their eyes.

But as soon as the two rivals had engaged in battle again, a voice boomed out from the back door of the house.

"That is enough!" the voice roared. The battle stopped temporarily. Sora and the others looked to see who it was that hollered. When they laid eyes on the one shouting, Riku and Sora couldn't believe who it was standing at the doorway. It was none other then their closest ally, Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster. "Get a hold of yourself, Triiken! Your only task was to initiate the strength level of Riku and Sora, to conclude whether they were as potent in their strength as they were six year ago!"

"We're in the middle of something, Cuchulain." Triiken uttered. "I will allow no one, not even you, the infamous Hound of Ulster, to interfere with this battle."

"I understand the situation at hand, Triiken. As a former Gatler General, I know you have your honor to obtain. But right now, both you and Riku are highly needed. I can't afford to have both of you dying on me just because your pride is at stake."-

"So you're the true mastermind behind this, eh Cuchulain?" Riku uttered.

"That is correct." Cuchulain stepped towards the combatants. "And I didn't come alone either." From the doorway, the familiar faces of Donald and Goofy came peeking out.

"Goofy!" Sora cried. "Donald!"

"Hey there, Sora!" Goofy replied.

"What are you guys doing here?"-

"We came to talk to you." Donald explained. "It's really important."

"Who the heck are those guys?" Tidus wondered. "They just popped out of nowhere."

"These happen to be members of the Universal Alliance." Sora explained. "The tall one is Goofy, the small one is Donald, and the guy with the long hair is Cuchulain, also known as the Hound of Ulster."

"They were the ones who helped Riku and Sora six years ago." Kairi added.

"They also happen to be our closest friends and allies."-

"I see." Tidus uttered. He then looked at General Triiken. "So what does Triiken have to do with you guys?"

"Triiken is acting as our undercover agent." Cuchulain uttered. "Sorry that we had to be so rough on you. However, it was necessary to see how effective you two were after six years of tranquil peace. If we had told you ahead of time, you may not have wanted to take the fight seriously."

"I see…" Riku uttered. "So that's why Triiken came here in the first place." Suddenly, due to sudden exhaustion and blood loss, Riku collapsed to the ground. The darkness jumper of Dark Riku had diminished in a puff of shadow and darkness. Riku had regressed to being the person he was before having to delve into the darkness. "I am still myself…"

"Riku!" Sora shouted, as he ran to assist his friend up. Riku could only kneel for the time being, using his keyblade for a crutch. Sora placed his hands underneath his arms and attempted to pull Riku back on to his feet. The blood continued to drip from the open wounds on his neck and body. Sweat dripped down from his forehead, intermingling with the blood and the open wounds causing a slight stinging sensation. Sora gazed at his injured comrade. "Are you alright, Riku? Can you stand?"

"I'll be fine, Sora." Riku replied. "But tell me this much at least, Cuchulain. What gave Triiken the right to attack one of my friends?"

"Attack one of your friends? Which one?"-

"Tidus had an unexpected encounter with him on Destiny Island yesterday. The result of this encounter was that we found Tidus almost dead because of him. Tidus could have died if we hadn't come along to find him mangled up."-

"Is this true?" Cuchulain said to Triiken, with an angry sneer upon his face. "Is it true that you deliberately attacked one of their comrades!" There was no response from the former Imperial. Cuchulain grew angry. "I'll ask you again! Did you deliberately attack one of Riku and Sora's friends!" Still there was no answer.

The reason for Triiken's silence is because he had detected a faint power level from near by; a power level that peeked from the front of the house. Though the others were not aware of it, the presence did not elude Triiken. From the other side of the house, Ilian Archibald, who had regained consciousness and had worked his way to Riku's residence, hoping to seek vengeance on he and Sora, overheard the conversation made between Cuchulain and his comrades. Knowing this, he realized that they were engaged in something far bigger than they had expected and was now trembling with great fear.

"I can't believe that the Hound of Ulster is here." Archibald uttered to himself, sweating with fright. "This matter is even bigger than I had expected. I have to warn Mr. Ranker of this." He scurried away, not knowing that Triiken was aware of his presence. Triiken, making an attempt to pursue Archibald, only sighed latched his belt around his waste, sheathed his broken sword and began to walk away.

"Well, well, well," he uttered. "That's the end of that scuffle." He looked at Riku and Sora, who were sneering at him. He grinned and stared at Riku only. "It looks like our little confrontation will have to be postponed to a later date. Your life has been spared for now key bearer. But next time, you won't be as lucky."

"Next time…" Riku uttered. "It'll be you that won't be so lucky."

"We shall see won't we…?" Triiken wiped the blood from his mouth and walked away, but not before being confronted by Cuchulain.

"Just a minute, Triiken!" Cuchulain shouted.

"According to my observations," Triiken explained without making eye contact with the Hound, "The present Riku is of no use to us whatsoever. However, the infamous Child of Darkness may prove to be quite useful. I would suggest hiring the latter rather than the former." With that final utter of words, Triiken, without a second glance, without further eye contact with anyone else, walked away, disappearing into the dark of the night.

"That man is insufferable at times." Cuchulain thought to himself. "Sometimes I have no clue what the hell kind of ideas run through his head. Those Imperials are all alike. More like stray dogs. You don't know if they'll bite until you get your hand too close."

"Cuchulain." Donald uttered. "What about Riku?"

"Yes." Cuchulain stepped up to Riku and kneeled next to him. He took from his pocket a bag of senzu beans. "I think this may come in handy."

"A senzu bean." Riku uttered. "Looks good right now." Cuchulain handed the bean to Riku and the young man ate it. Within seconds of swallowing it, Riku stood up as good as new. His wounds were healed, his strength had returned, and his will had been replenished to its full capacity. "Man, I feel great now! Thanks Cuchulain!"

"It was the least that I could do for a friend."-

"Did you see that?" Wakka said, his eyes bulging out of his head.

"I saw it." Tidus uttered. "But I don't believe it."

"Riku just ate that bean he was given and was back on his feet as if the battle never occurred in the first place."-

"I could really go for one of those right now." Apparently, Cuchulain overheard his statement and turned with another bean in his hand.

"Your wish is granted, young Tidus." Cuchulain implied, throwing the bean to him. Tidus caught the bean and looked at it for a moment, or two.

"Go ahead, Tidus." Riku implied. "Eat it."

"It'll replenish your strength." Sora added.

"Alright." Tidus implied. "I will do as you say." He took his chance and ate the bean. A second, or two after swallowing the morsel, Tidus suddenly felt his energy return to him. His sounded arm seemed to lose the throbbing pain. He took off the bandage and realized that wound he had received was no longer present. Not even the stitches remained. "Incredible! I feel better!"

"Well, now that we have that settled," Cuchulain said, "it is best that we get things over with here. I need to explain to you of the situation that we are facing and that we request your assistance again."

"Assistance?" Riku uttered.

"Again?" Sora added.

The party moved into the house, stationing themselves in the living room. Cuchulain sat on an overstuffed chair, before the group.

"So are you gonna tell us what it is you're doing here?" Riku asked.

"I won't double-talk you, my friends." Cuchulain began. "I will just get to the point." The group huddled around, waiting to hear the news. "The Midnight Faction is on the prowl."

"The Midnight Faction?" Tidus uttered. "The name doesn't ring a bell. Who are they?"

"Are they similar to the Midnight Organization that's under the control of the Dark Empire?" Sora asked.

"It was an organization under the control of the Dark Empire." Cuchulain replied.

"Was?" Riku asked. "What do you mean by was?"

"It's been six years since you were cut off from the outside world hasn't it. Well, I'll tell you what has been going on for the past six years. For one, the Dark Empire is no more."-

"The Dark Empire is no more?" Sora wondered. "What does that mean?"

"Just that." Cuchulain continued. "The Dark Empire is no more. Six years ago, there was a great confrontation that took place at Gombria and Vandor. Both cities fell to the forces of the Universal Alliance and their allies. To add, the Three Excellencies were killed in the process of the battle. Lord Drako Arakis and Lord Dextera Viro were killed just outside of Vandor and Lord Cavendish followed their fate, three days later, sucked in as a victim, into the hell of his own creation, called Hell's Vortex. With the fall of the Three Excellencies and the capture of the two major cities of the Empire, the rest of the Imperial power had dispersed. The Universal Alliance then took the process of having to eradicate all possible organizations related to the former Empire. However, just because the Empire itself as a whole was destroyed didn't guarantee that peace would be obtained so easily. There were still billions of those who were faithful to the Empire. However, now three distinct organizations have emerged from the rubble. Each of them is hoping to restore the Dark Empire to its former glory, but into the image that their own leaders have conjured up."

"What are the three?" Riku asked.

"They are the three original organizations that played a major role in the forming of the Dark Empire." Cuchulain continued. "To review, the Dark Empire consisted of three distinct branches, each controlled by one of the Three Excellencies. After the fall of the Empire; the three split from one another and are now trying, not only to eliminate the Universal Alliance, but also are trying to eliminate each other. The first of the three, called the Red Ribbon Faction, is commanded by the infamous Kambrian commander, Delorion Rellantando, who hopes to restore the former Imperial might and place it under Kambrian rule. Then there is the Arakis Foundation that originally acted as the financial backbone of the Dark Empire. They are controlled by Arakis's son, Mulian Nidarach Arakis. Under Mulian's rule, the Arakis Foundation hopes to regain the full territory of the old Imperial regime, but form it as it once was, abiding by the old Imperial code and declaring that only those of Oceanarian descent are allowed to flourish. Finally, there is the greatest threat, the only one of the three that poses the greatest threat, not only to the universe to where the old Dark Empire resided, but to all other worlds as well. It is none other than the infamous Midnight Faction."

"Well what makes this faction more dangerous than the rest?"-

"The reason is because the Midnight Faction did not establish its center within the universal realm of the old imperial regime, but rather they are expanding their power to other worlds. By doing this, the Midnight Faction will be able to conquer without interference from the Universal Alliance, on account that the Alliance has enough trouble as it is fighting with the other two organizations. This way, there will be no great threat to stand in the way of the Midnight Faction's progress."

"Well, where have they established their headquarters?" Sora asked.

"They've concentrated the center of their government in the Disney Kingdom."-

"No!" Riku and Sora uttered together.

"What's so significant about the Disney Kingdom?" Tidus asked.

"The Disney Kingdom was the link between the Universal Alliance and the other dimensional realms." Cuchulain continued. "It was the one stronghold where if there ever were to be interference with other worldly affairs, the Alliance would be able to quell the impeding threat, by way of King Mickey's Kingdom. But now, the Midnight Faction has taken over the Disney Kingdom and has claimed the access to all other worlds as their own. That means that the Midnight Faction can have unlimited access to any world that they please. Using the gummi technology to its full advantage, the Midnight Faction can spread throughout the worlds like a cancer and destroy all who stand in their way, or defy their rule. To add, the Midnight Faction has joined up with a more cunning and more numerous ally."-

"And who might that be?" Sora asked.

"Donald. It is time."-

Donald took out from his pocket, the symbol of the invading force that attacked the Disney Kingdom. Being placed it before the key bearers and their friends on the living room table, Riku, Kairi, and Sora instantly recognized the two symbols that intermingled with one another.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sora uttered, gazing at the familiar heart shaped emblem acting as the background for the symbol.

"You're right." Riku uttered. "That is the symbol of the Heartless. And look at this." He pointed at the cross in the foreground, being the main focus of the emblem.

"That is the Cross of Conquest," Kairi uttered, "or something close to its resemblance."

"So are you telling us that the Midnight Faction has combined forces with the Heartless?"-

"That's correct." Cuchulain implied.

"But how is that possible?" Sora uttered. "Kingdom Hearts, the door to darkness, had been sealed up since ten years ago."

"You only prevented the Heartless from emerging into other worlds in mass numbers and on their own free will. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that they've been permanently confined to the Shadow Realm. You should know that by now, since the incident in the Rurouni Realm six years ago."-

"That's right! We did fight off the Heartless in the Rurouni Realm! But that was only because Kahn managed to summon them from their world!"-

"So whoever must be leading the command of the Midnight Faction must be a true master of the Darkness." Riku said. "But who could it be? Who is in charge of the Midnight Faction?"

"That's the thing." Cuchulain continued. "We really don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"-

"That's just it. We don't know. Unlike the other two organizations whose leaders have gained a high reputation for their ruthlessness, or their family origin, the leader of the Midnight Faction is a complete unknown. He's remained elusive since the fall of the Dark Empire and we don't know what his identity is, or even what he looks like. We only know this much though, due to the rumors that have been fluttering about lately. All we know is that this individual has been dubbed the name the Phantom Lord."-

"The Phantom Lord?" Sora asked.

"Yes. And it's because of him that so far two hundred different worlds have fallen to him."-

"T...two…two hundred?"-

"Two hundred worlds?" Kairi said. "How long has this guy been out there conquering?"

"That's it." Cuchulain said. "The Midnight Organization has been on a rampage for only one year in conquering other worlds. That's how fast they can operate. If you can imaging taking over two hundred worlds in only a year, we are looking at the total conquest of every other world within the next decade, or so."

"And you say that the Universal Alliance has no manpower to spare to stop them?" Riku asked.

"If we did, I wouldn't have bothered to require your assistance. Right now, you and Sora are the only ones who can reseal the doors and close them off."-

"Wait a minute! What do you mean reseal them! Are you saying that the doors to other worlds are being unsealed again!"-

"But that means that…" Sora uttered. Fear now appeared on his face.

"Whoever this guy is, he must have access to a keyblade. The keyblade is the only thing that can reopen the doors to other worlds."-

"That's why we request your help." Cuchulain uttered. "You are the only ones who can also close the doors and seal the worlds again."

"If you can help us regain our kingdom," Donald implied, "We will see that you're well rewarded."

"There's no need for that." Riku said. "You two are our friends and we can't ask a price in return for saving your home."

"You mean you'll…" Goofy uttered.

"That's right." Sora replied. "You can count us in!"

"I'm surprised that you two agreed to help us without any hesitation." Cuchulain stated.

"We've learned from past experiences that if we insist on not doing anything, sooner or later our world would meet the same fate." Riku explained. "We suffered enough having to deal with the Dark Empire as a whole. And there's no way that we'll allow an organization like the Midnight Faction to have its way either. Despite our opposition to engage in battle again, to fight is the only option we have right now."

"You can count us in!" Sora said.

"Very well then." Cuchulain uttered.

"By the way. I noticed that King Mickey didn't accompany you. Where is he?" There was silence amidst the three visitors.

"Has something terrible happened?" Riku asked. "What's happened to King Mickey?" Donald raised his head.

"The thing is that…" he uttered. "I fear that His Majesty has been captured by the Midnight Faction."

"Captured?" Sora said, shocked.

"When we took off, we could see the dwindling number of the Royal Guards grow smaller and smaller. We fear that the Kingdom has already fallen into the hands of this Phantom Lord."-

"Then, we have another task besides saving the other worlds and that's rescuing your king."-

"When do we leave?" Riku asked.

"We leave as soon as possible." Cuchulain implied. "So get your battle gear ready. We move out within the hour."

"Right."-

"What about us?" Kairi asked.

"You guys have to stay here and watch out for things while Sora and I are away."-

"You mean you just want us to stay here and collect dust?" Tidus protested.

"Yeah!" Wakka added. "Me and Tidus can fight alongside you!"

"Don't forget that I was the one that defeated the entity Sin!"-

"And what about me!" Selphie said. "I can fight as well! I'm good at it!"

"Same here!" Kairi added. "You were the ones who taught me how to fight and I've improved a lot more since the last time! Please, you guys, take me with you!"

"That is out of the question!" Riku said. "You guys are to stay here!"

"But why!" Tidus said. "We've improved so much compared to six years ago! Give us a chance!"

"And that's why we need you to stay here." Sora implied. "You guys need to stay here and face any threat that might attack our own home. Who knows, the Midnight Faction may target our home next. If you guys come with us, then who will be left to fend off the fiends who may want to enslave our families?" There was silence amongst the group. "You guys are helping us by protecting our home. That is the one task we're entrusting you with."

"I see what you mean." Tidus uttered. "Alright, then I will stay here to defend our home."

"I will too." Wakka added.

"Me too." Selphie agreed. Sora then turned to Kairi, who still remained silent.

"Do you understand, Kairi?" he asked.

"I do…" she uttered, looking up into his big blue eyes. She laid her head on Sora's chest. "I just don't know what I'll do if I don't see you two again…" Sora only smiled and stroked her red hair ever so gently.

"Don't worry." Sora placed the side of his index finger under Kairi's chin and lifted her head up so that her eyes could meet his again. "I swear to you that Riku and I will return home safely."

Kairi could only smile and nuzzled against him tightly. Tears dripped down her cheeks, expressing the emotional twist stirring within her.

At the same time, however, in that Inn just a few miles out of the settlement, another conversation was commencing. Archibald had made it back to Mr. Ranker's quarters, where he began to tell of the plot that Triiken was involved in.

"I see." Ranker uttered. "So Triiken was sent here by the Universal Alliance to test the grit of Riku and Sora eh?"

"Never mind about all that!" Archibald shouted. "Now that the Hound is here how, can we be sure that our plan will work! What if Triiken is really siding with the Universal Alliance and is only using us as pawns?"

"I wouldn't worry about it. Like I said before, Triiken is an Imperial just like us. And he would do anything to see that the Universal Alliance is quelled and the new Imperial regime is established as the absolute power throughout the worlds."-

"But I still think…"-

"I wouldn't put any of this to heart. An Imperial will always remain true to the cause he fought so hard to obtain, whether or not the Empire exist."-

"Well it doesn't matter! All I know is that the Hound of Ulster is fighting on their side! And I don't know about you, but I ain't fighting against someone like that! If the Alliance is causing strong guys like him to side with them, then I think it is better that I don't get involved anymore than I have already! I didn't even manage to lay a hand on those two key bearers! They were even stronger than I thought!"-

"You mean to tell me that you were the one's who fought the key bearers?" Ranker stood up from his chair, angrily. "I thought I told you not to interfere with that. Triiken was strictly given that assignment to take care of personally. What caused you to fight them without my orders?"

"It's not my fault! Triiken offered me a great amount of money to take care of that job for him!"-

"Going against my orders, eh?" Ranker uttered to himself. "Well, when Triiken gets back here, I'll just have to give him a piece of my mind."

"It still hasn't changed the fact that I'm leaving!"-

"Are you turning tail on me?"-

"What you say no longer matters to me! I have my own life to worry about! And I don't know about you, but I don't intend to lose my life to the likes of a powerful warrior like the Hound of Ulster! You couldn't pay me enough to tackle that job! So if you don't mind, I'll be taking my money and split while the splitting is good! I'll probably find a nice, safe place to live the rest of my days. I might try Traverse Town, or Twilight Town, or someplace like that!"

"Oh, but I know of a much better place that you can go rather than Traverse, or Twilight Town." A voice suddenly uttered from the doorway. Archibald instantly recognized the voice spoken. He looked to see none other than General Triiken standing in his way. "It's a place called hell. I'm sure that you've heard of it."

Before Archibald could even utter another word, Triiken took one swipe with a spare sword that he brought with him, severing the assassin's head from his shoulder. The blood splattered throughout the room, causing the walls and the floor to turn a crimson red. Ranker, frightened by the spectacle, fell to the ground in fear. He then glared at Triiken.

"How…how could you?" he uttered.

"There is no need for a mongrel dog like him to linger about the place." Triiken uttered. "There is no place of a mongrel dog like you either."

"What do you mean? We're supposed to be working together on this, Triiken! This is our one chance to restore the Empire to its former glory! Why would you want to gum up the works! Don't you care for the efforts we're making here! Don't you know what we're doing here could resurrect a greater power! Where is your Imperial pride!"

"My pride as an Imperial remains in tact! And we swore by the old Imperial code 'Death before dishonor.' However, as a Gatler General, we pledged our loyalty only to the Three Excellencies! I don't remember pledging allegiance to the likes of an opportunist like the Phantom Lord. He follows the way that counters everything of the old Imperial code of chivalry. If the Dark Empire were ever to collapse and the Three Excellencies meet a sorry end then fate was never on our side to begin with. If the old Imperial regime was to be vanquished, then all that flocked to its banner should disperse and learn to accept this new era."-

"So, you're just going to give up on the Imperial regime like that, when we have this one chance to revive it to what it once was, or even greater?"-

"You are truly a fool, former Minister of Propaganda! You have no idea what true loyalty is because you have never in your life, since the moment of your employment to the Imperial regime, ever set foot upon the battlefield! I have engaged in so many confrontations and have seen so much chaos and bloodshed; it would haunt my memories, even if I were to die a million deaths! As a Gatler General, I had pledged my vow to end the chaos and create that ideal world where all were united under one banner. Well, fate has chosen the Universal Alliance to be the power to take all people under its wing! Therefore, I shall fight for its preservation!"-

"It is you who are the fool! You dare to fight and protect the one power that you and your deceased comrades had desperately tried to destroy! How could you allow the deaths of your comrades to be in vain!"-

"You believe that because our cause was lost that my comrades' sacrifices were for nothing!" Triiken drew his sword towards the frightened minister. "You don't fully realize the larger picture placed before you! My comrades and I were also ones to help build this new era by being the ones who lost. To end the chaos, I will eliminate all those who dare to oppose the greater power! As a Gatler general, I with my other two comrades, now long deceased, abided also by the code sworn by the Cavendish Shinobis. 'Exmortin en quenchai un quency.' 'Death to treason and traitors.' And you, who dare to strike against the might of the alliance, shall die!"

"No!" Ranker pleaded. "Don't you realize what you're doing! If you can just help us in our cause, your name will go down in history as being the backbone to our success! You will be well rewarded and shall live in luxury and riches, beyond your wildest dreams, for the rest of your life!"-

"You can train a dog with food as easily as you can bribe a corrupt heart with promises of vast wealth and profit! But there is no man alive who can corrupt the way of the true Imperial!" With that, Triiken thrust his blade deep into Ranker's throat. Blood spurted out like fountains, covering the floor, turning it more crimson. Ranker twitched for a few seconds before going limp and lifeless against the wall. Triiken glared at him before extracting his bloodstained sword from the flesh of his victim. "How pathetic your life has been! You shall spend the rest of your days in hell! The moment that the Dark Empire fell was the day that you should have accepted the new era of the Universal Alliance. Further resistance to the new power would have been futile! And I have seen that to its end. As the Gatler General of the Universal Alliance, I will maintain the peace, even in the most brutal fashion and against former allies and comrades." With those final words, Triiken left the room without a second glance, leaving the mutilated bodies of his former comrades prostrated on the floor.

Within the hour, Riku and Sora had prepared themselves for the journey ahead. With new clothing on their backs, this time of their own choosing, they met with Cuchulain, Donald, and Goofy at the gummi ship. Tidus and the others accompanied the two key bearers to the ship.

"Well guys," Sora uttered, "We're off now."

"We'll be waiting for you guys to come back safely." Tidus implied. "We'll be here, fending our home from any villains, or ruffians who may try to take it over."

"We're counting on you to hold down the fort." Riku said.

"Hurry, you two!" Cuchulain shouted from the gummi's entry. "Time waits for no man!"

"We'll be there in a minute!"-

"You two be sure to come back to us safely." Kairi implied.

"We will." Sora said. It was then that Kairi took from her pocket, a hand crafted heart made of brass. It was a puzzle that she had custom made, giving it the ability to split into three separate pieces. She handed one piece each to the two young men. Sora gazed at the piece given to him. "What's this for?"

"I'm giving you two each a piece of this heart." Kairi explained. "This is a very precious puzzle to me. I want you to promise that you'll return and give them back to me." Sora glanced for a while and then smiled.

"I promise."-

"Don't worry." Riku added. "We'll come back safely."

Kairi, filled with emotion, could only embrace her two life long friends, wrapping her arms tight around them.

"That's a promise then…" she uttered.

"We will return, Kairi. I guarantee it."-

With a final glance, the two entered the gummi ship. They looked out at their friends for the last time before the seal closed and the rockets of the ship ignited. Riku and Sora looked down seeing their friends continuing to wave at them. They could see Kairi's face as tears dripped from her eyes. The rockets increased in power and the gummi was off, heading out of the atmosphere.

"Full speed ahead, Donald." Cuchulain uttered.

"Aye, aye!" Donald replied. "Full speed ahead."

"So where are we headed first?" Sora asked.

"We are heading for the capital of the Universal Alliance itself," Cuchulain replied, "the city of Oceansburg."

"Really?"-

"Oh yes, this will be the first time that you've actually laid eyes on the capital city of the alliance, isn't it?"-

"Tell me, Cuchulain," Riku uttered. "Is it as magnificent as they say it is."

"More than you can ever imagine."-


	7. The Plan

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**The Plan**_

It was not long before the little gummi ship made its way to the Oceanaria, the planet to where the center of the Universal Alliance resided. The gummi descended over a sea of clouds that were tainted gold by the early morning sun.

"It's a beautiful morning here." Riku uttered.

"Wow!" Sora added. "It's such a nice view."

"We'll be descending under the cloud line in thirty seconds." Donald implied. "We are now reaching Oceansburg airspace."

"I hope that you are ready for quite a view of the city from above." Cuchulain said. "Perhaps you will have the same reaction that I had the moment I first saw the capital city of the alliance in all its glory."

The little gummi descended below the cloud line, descending to Oceansburg below.

"Reaching the lower atmosphere," Donald counted, "in 5…4…3…2…1…"

In that instant, when the gummi cleared the cloud line, Riku and Sora laid eyes on the most spectacular sight they ever had the pleasure of gazing upon. The city of Oceansburg was a beautiful sight indeed. Its tall buildings and vast skyways stretched for miles on end. Memorials and deity like figures stood high within the city as if greeting any weary traveler who wished to descend upon it. The city itself seemed to be plated in a glimmering pearl white and well polished gold, with a dash of blue to add a soothing effect to its appearance. Because vehicles and industries were charged by special, natural energies, there were no billowing puffs of smoke that spewed into the air and no pollution to mug up the sky. It was indeed a beautiful sight indeed.

"Well," Cuchulain asked, "what do you think?"

"It's simply incredible." Riku uttered.

"Incredible is hardly the word." Sora added. "This is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen."

The little gummi ship began to descend to what looked like a grand glass pyramid. Of all the structures in Oceansburg, it was this glass pyramid that was the grandest and the largest.

"What's that pyramid building?" Sora asked.

"That is where we will be meeting with Sneer." Cuchulain replied. "That pyramid is the very center of not only Oceansburg, but the entire organization. This building, simply called 'The Glass Pyramid' is the universal symbol of the Alliance."

"That is a sight alright." Riku said.

"And it's the only building that has its own internal network. So in case there is ever an attack on Oceansburg, the Glass Pyramid would be able to survive in tact."-

The gummi ship reached a glass gate that opened up on the side of the pyramid. Entering the building, the appearance within was just a magnificent as the appearance from without. The gummi made port at one of the docking areas as the gate resealed itself, cutting off the outside world once again. The glass panes filtered out the sunlight, so that the heat within was not too intense.

The party departed from the gummi ship, leaving it to the maintenance crew to repair and refuel it. Sora and the others worked their way to the very interior of the building where a series of glass elevators awaited them. The crew stepped aboard the elevator and transported themselves to the very top of the pyramid. While going, Riku and Sora were amazed by what they were seeing. The interior of the pyramid, where most of the daily business commenced, was more elaborate and sophisticated then ever. A futuristic type of world bellowed and billowed before them.

"It's just as incredible inside as it was outside." Sora said. "The sight of this place stirs something in me."

"It's probably your stomach." Riku uttered, pointing out that Sora was staring at a food court which accumulated a series of soothing and tasty aromas.

"That might just be it."-

"We'll be reaching the top floor soon." Cuchulain said. "So make sure that you look presentable before entering Sneer's chamber. I don't want him to think that you've been slacking off for the past six years."

The elevator eventually made it to the top floor, the very tip of the pyramid itself. It was here that Sneer awaited them. As the lift doors opened, they revealed a grand room to where the president resided and carried on with his business. However, unlike the gilded elaboration of the rich and elite spectacle that was encountered in the lower levels of the pyramid, the office was more simplistic, laid back, more homely, and comfortable. The floor, instead of that shiny black marble or white tile, there was a well polished hardwood floor. Upon the hardwood, there were tapestry rugs and carpets. Standing upon them, well polished wooden tables, exquisite in design, from the bottom of the legs holding up the platform to the platform itself. Antiques and bowels of fruits sat upon the center of each table. It was a touch of home and an easy lifestyle. Before, the doors of the lift, a large hall rug reached all the way to a desk and overstuffed chair facing the window. It is here that the president did his work. The party approached the desk.

"Sneer," Cuchulain uttered. "I have brought them."

There was no answer from the chair, no response whatsoever. Cuchulain drew closer. Suddenly a voice uttered from behind the party.

"I'm over here." It said. The party turned to see Sneer standing in front of the window, painting upon a canvas slab. He dipped his brush onto his easel and swirled it about on the canvas. "I find painting to be most enjoyable."

"I have brought Riku and Sora as you had requested, sir." Cuchulain said.

"Well done, Cuchulain, well done." Sneer laid his brush and easel upon his working table, which was covered with painting equipment. Wiping of his hands with a damp cloth, he resided to his desk. "Thank you for coming here, my friends. I'm surprised that you would accept coming here. Especially, after that near death experience that you had six years ago."

"It's not as if we have any other option open to us." Riku said. "Had we not got involved the last time, the Cavendish Shinobis would have achieved their primary goals and the Universal Alliance might have been placed at the mercy of the Dark Empire."

"That is correct. If it had not been for your participation, it would have been Lord Cavendish you would be talking to in this office instead of me."-

"We understand that the doors to sealed worlds are being opened again."-

"That is also true. The worlds are being reconnected with the help of the Phantom Lord."-

"But why would he do a thing like that?" Sora asked. "By reopening the doors, he's allowing better access for the Heartless."

"And if the Heartless regain their foothold as they did a decade before, there's no doubt that more worlds will be plunged into darkness."-

"But why would the Phantom Lord do such a thing."-

"By combining with the Heartless, he believes that he can obtain absolute victory in a short amount of time. In most cases, that particular outcome will occur."-

"But doesn't he realize that he can't control the Heartless." Riku asked. "One who is able to manipulate the power of the Heartless only becomes food for the Heartless in the end. If he allows himself to be overcome by the darkness, then he will lose his heart to the darkness." Riku lowered his head, clutching his fist. "I'm one to know how the darkness operates. If consumed by it completely, allowing your hate, your envy, your negative energy to overtake your own logic and reason, then you are lost to the emptiness of shadows."

"Riku, Sora," Sneer said, "As of this point in time, you are the only ones who can fight against the Phantom Lord and the Midnight Faction. You must seal the doors to those worlds still remaining. It is there that the Midnight Faction is concentrating their offensive." Sneer pushed a small red button at the side of his desk. Suddenly, from the top of his desk, a small icon emerged. It suddenly repelled light, projecting a 3-D image of a map. "This is the entire layout of the Midnight Faction's territory. This is as far they have gone already. The Phantom Lord uses the Heartless to invade the worlds and weaken the resistance. By doing this, he allows his own troopers, the Phantom Forces, to overwhelm and destroy the rest of the resistance without very much difficulty." Sneer pointed out the key worlds needed to be held in order to stop the advance of the Midnight Faction. "Some of the key worlds, which are being used as key points for further advancing of the Faction, are ones that you had sealed before in the past. To add, there are new worlds that are being targeted by the Phantom Lord and his minions. Do you recognize some of the worlds, Sora?"

"Yes." Sora implied. "Wonderland has been reopened. So has Agrabah, the Deep Jungle, and even the Imperial city of China."

"Those are some of the key realms that must be resealed. To add, the keyholes are now scattered in different areas of those worlds." Sneer then pointed out several other key worlds that have played a part in the strategic movement of the Midnight Faction. "Then there are several others that you have been to already that now have keyholes. The Rurouni Realm, the Seed Realm, and the Wing Realm have developed passages for the Heartless to move through. To add, in some particular worlds, the faction is rebuilding key equipment to help ensure an easy takeover. From what our sources tell us, the Midnight Faction is beginning the process of constructing a new Apocalypse Cannon, and inter-dimensional tunnel, ten divisions of Gatler Tanks, a division of new model mobile dolls, and a legion of mobile droid Heartless. Much like the anti-Riku and anti-Sora you two had to fight."

"What?" Riku uttered. "You mean they're planning on creating more of those Super anti?"

"But we had enough trouble having to fight against the ones deployed by General Kai." Sora added.

"If you thought it was tough against two, can you imagine a legion of five-hundred million marching upon the worlds?" Sneer said.

"If we're going to seal these worlds," Riku said, "then we should start with the ones that pose the largest threat."

"The only problem is that we haven't confirmed which world has what."-

"Leave that all to me!" a voice suddenly shouted out from behind. The party turned to see a familiar and hostile face gazing at them.

"General Triiken!" Sora shouted.

"What are you doing here!" added Riku.

"No one sent for you, Triiken!" Cuchulain said.

"Then again, I don't really need permission when it comes to giving vital information." Triiken replied.

"And what vital information have you brought us?" Sneer asked.

"I have the information that you require." Triiken stepped before the desk, handing a sheet of paper to Sneer. "It is the information regarding the construction of the Apocalypse Cannon and the Trans-dimensional portal."

"And what have you found out?"-

"The trans-dimensional portal has already been completed and resides within Wonderland. The Apocalypse Cannon is at this moment being constructed within the Deep Jungle. Actually, two are being constructed. And both are being manufactured in separate realms in order to prevent a critical blow if you decided to interfere with the plans of the Midnight Faction."-

"Two?" Goofy uttered.

"The Midnight Faction is manufacturing two of those?" Donald added.

"To make matters worse, the second one is an upgraded version, called the Apocalypse XG-1." Triiken continued. "Unlike the earlier model, the XG-1 doesn't have to worry about recharging after firing."

"You mean it's a…" Sneer uttered with fear.

"That is correct, sir. It can be fired at a random time interval and it has ten times the destructive capacity than the original model."-

"And where would the XG-1 be located."-

"We have confirmed that it resides within the Seed Realm, being manufactured by Coordinators."-

"Damn…" Cuchulain uttered. "The Midnight Faction has elaborated their plan more than we had expected."

"Also, trying to gain access to those three particular structures are not that simple. Hordes of Heartless Behemoths, Soldiers, and Invisibles are guarding the area along with a million troops of the Phantom Forces. To add, they've picked up a few other strays, acting as bodyguards and mercenaries, along the way. I doubt that even these two can handle such a task."-

"You just wait and see, Triiken!" Sora shouted. "We'll be able to take the Heartless and the Phantom Force out, even if we have to do it on our own!"

"That won't be necessary though." Sneer implied.

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"For one thing, you have Goofy, Donald, and the faithful Hound of Ulster of to assist you and of course General Triiken, if he agrees. To add, I also have other friends of yours who will be helping you along the way. As we speak, they are already in those worlds overlooking the situation. All we need is you two to lock the doors for us."-

"And which friends would those be?"-

"Let me see." Sneer pulled out a list from the top drawer of his desk. "There are also Cloud Strife, Yuffie, Auron, Squall Leonheart, Cid, Sojiro, Goten, and Lu Xun. Also you may meet some other members of the Z team, or Dynasty Warriors that may assist you."

"Well, at least we know there are some old friends out there willing to give us a hand." Donald mumbled.

"Other than what I have told you, there is nothing further that you need to accomplish." Sneer stepped from behind his desk. "Riku, Sora, and company, I leave the fate of the universe and all dimension worlds and realms in your hands."

"We understand." Riku uttered. "Then we shall be on our way." The company turned toward the elevator.

"You won't go far without a plan." Triiken uttered.

"Well, no one asked for your opinion." Sora replied.

"To go into battle without the slightest clue of your enemy's strengths? That is terrible judgment on your part."-

"Why you…!" Riku raised his hand in front of Sora.

"No Sora." He implied. "I'd hate to admit it, but Triiken is right. If we decide to enter enemy territory without truly understanding our enemies potential, that leaves us vulnerable." Riku stepped up to Triiken. "Tell us, what should we do Triiken?"

"You're just going to randomly attack any world and stop their progress?" Triiken uttered.

"That was what we were planning to do."-

"Well, that plan won't work in this particular scenario. You must also understand that there is more sophistication to this plot than you think. Let us analyze the situation." Triiken went to Sneer's desk and reopened the holographic map with a push of little red button. "I had told you that they were constructing two Apocalypse cannons and a trans-dimensional tunnel. Now, I'm sure that you perceived that those were mere obstacles. However, there is a greater reason behind their purpose."-

"And what would that be?"-

"Think about it. Why would they even want to use a trans-dimensional portal to transport their manpower and supplies when they have the passages created by the keyblade? Large masses of troops can be efficiently maneuvered through the Heartless passages when properly coordinated. So why go through the trouble of having to construct a trans-dimensional portal. It wastes only good funding." Triiken walked to the center of the group. "I'll tell you what the portal is for. What the Midnight Faction truly intends to do with it. Instead of using it to transport men and resources, they intend to use the portal rather as a dimensional window to open to other worlds. It is then that they use the Apocalypse cannon to aim its powerful energy beam through that window and inflict a fatal shot to that world."-

"You're kidding." Sora uttered.

"That is no joke. The Midnight Faction is a radicals organization and they tend to use methods that ensure fast and easy victory with little effort, or waste of manpower on their part."-

"That means that they'd be able to inflict serious damage on other worlds without having to deploy troops, or Heartless there." Cuchulain said.

"But by using that type of tactic," Sora uttered, "they'd be able to inflict serious damage upon multiple worlds at once."

"That is the true intention of the Midnight Faction." Triiken explained further. "By using this tactic, they'd be able to threaten and conquer multiple worlds all at once with very little attempts of retaliation. This way, the worlds attacked have no way of reaching their enemy for an attempted retaliation."

"Then, I think the best course of action is to go to wonderland and take care of things there." Riku said. "At least if we destroy the portal, it'll prevent mass chaos to others worlds."

"That is until they plan on constructing a new portal. I don't think you're aware of this, but creating trans-dimensional portals is a simpler task then manufacturing the Apocalypse cannon. If I were you, I think about sealing the world first, before destroying the portal. That way, you have more time afterward trying to destroy the two cannons."

"Perhaps, it would be more advantageous if we split into two groups. One takes out the portal while the other brings down one of the cannons."-

"That would prove to be advantageous in most cases, but in this particular scenario, that concept does not apply. The reason for this is because these three structures alone are heavily guarded. Even if you were to use the full bulk of your inner strength and combine to make a fusion, it would not be enough against the likes of the Midnight Faction." There was a sudden silence within the party before Triiken unleashed a real secret that was necessary information needed to closing the doors. "Besides, this time, the keyholes will require two key bearers to seal the worlds, not just one."

"What do you mean two key bearers?" Sora asked.

"I have managed to track down only one keyhole and it lies with the Lotus Forest. The keyhole is accumulating a mixture of negative and positive energy. This indicates that both key bearers are required to reseal the worlds."-

"Why didn't you mention this before!" Riku demanded. "Don't you think that's vital information! If you hadn't told us, we might have split into two groups! Did you have to give us that last bit of information at the last moment!"

"I don't understand why you're losing your temper." Triiken uttered. "I gave you the information you were seeking."

"Tell me, is there anymore information that we need to hear?"-

"Those are the vital clues you need. I will continue to inform you along the way. However, just because we've decided to cooperate, don't think that anything has changed between us." Triiken glanced at Riku only. "Remember Riku, we still have a personal score to settle as well."

"Then, I'll make sure not to die until then." Triiken then walked away, entered the elevator of Sneer's office, and descended down into the pyramid.

"I say," Sneer uttered, "trouble follows you like your own shadow. You must certainly have a lot of scores to settle with people, eh Riku?"

"Riku has a tendency to have some weirdo follow him every once in a while." Sora chuckled.

"You should know…" Riku implied.

"Well, it's best that you boys be on your way." Sneer said. "Time is of the essence here and we can't afford to lay back and relax."

"Right."-

"Riku, Sora, the fate the worlds depend upon your efforts."-

"Don't worry, Sneer." Sora said. "If it's help you've requested, you've come to the right guys to ask."

"We'll do our best, sir!" Donald said, in a proud and bold manner. "We shall go forth and fight this cunning scourge called the Midnight Faction and bring them down to their knees!"

"That is if they don't kill us first." Goofy uttered. Donald elbowed the imbecile in the groin.

"That's not the type of attitude we need right now…"-

"You just had to make a speech." Sora chuckled.

"Then, be on your way." Sneer said. "Farewell and I wish you the best of luck!" The party left sneer in his office, entering the lift and descending into the pyramid's lower levels. Sneer turned to see the morning sun reach higher and higher into the sky. "The fate of the entire universe and all worlds thereof are in the hands of those two youngsters. I really wish them the best of luck."

When reaching the dock, the party reached their newly supplied and repaired gummi ship.

"Your vessel has been repaired and supplied again." The chief mechanic uttered.

"Very well done." Donald implied. The group began to enter the gummi. Cuchulain stopped just before the ramp.

"I wish you guys the best of luck." He said.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Sora asked.

"I won't be able to accompany you right now." Cuchulain said. "I have to go and help aid in the resistance in another world. That way, I can at least stall the progress of the Midnight Faction."

"Where are you headed?"-

"I don't know. Perhaps I'll either go to the Deep Jungle, or the Seed Realm. That's where they're constructing the large Apocalypse cannons and that's where I'll catch them off guard. Besides, we have some other friends working over there to aid the resistance as well."

"Then you take care."-

"I'll see you two later."-

"Good luck." Riku said.

"The same goes for the two of you and the rest of the KH party." Cuchulain smiled and walked away. But suddenly, he stopped and retraced his steps. "Oh yeah, and one more thing." He reached into his pocket and took out several summon spell gems. "I think you could use some help from these guys again."

"These are the summoning spells." Sora uttered. "How did you get them?"

"It wasn't easy persuading them to help. Especially, in times of peace, but when I said that you and the rest of the KH team would get involved, they immediately agreed. So, I was able to salvage all but three and that would be Tinker Bell, Mushu, and Genie. The reason why is there is a lot of factional activity going on there. However, since you are going straight to The Imperial Palace and Agrabah, I thought it would be best if you ask for their help personally."-

"Thanks a lot, Cuchulain."-

"Come on, Sora!" Riku said. "We're waiting for you!"

"I'll be there!" Sora replied.

"I hope that I might bump into you guys later." Cuchulain implied.

"I'm sure we will."-

"You guys take care of yourselves."-

"Good luck to you too." The two shook hands and Cuchulain walked away, looking forward to his own task. Sora turned to the others.

"I was wondering when you two were gonna stop chatting." Riku said, with that crooked grin of mischief on his face. He slapped Sora on the back. "We have a long way to go."

"You're right." Sora said. "Then, let's get going then." The four entered the ship and tucked themselves into their individual seats. Donald activated the data and set the coordinates to Wonderland. Once again the rockets ignited and the little gummi ship was off to see adventure once again.


	8. Back to Wonderland PART I

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Back to Wonderland PART I**_

Wonderland, a place of awe and imagination, a place where everything is possible, even the impossible. The lotus forest was filled with the sounds of wild life and strange activity of nature. However, there was also another sound that echoed in the lotus forest that intermingled with the peaceful sounds of nature. And that was the sound of marching feet. A patrol group of five hundred elite fighters of the infamous Phantom Forces march about in perfect fashion watching out for any suspicious activity. It was in the particular area that the keyhole resided.

"Companies!" the commander of the patrol roared. "Halt!" The men halted in unison, their boots pounding on the ground causing a thunderous roar to bellow into the calm of the forest. "We well take a five minute rest period! Fall out!" The men dismissed themselves from their ranks and sat down under the lotus leaves.

It was that this particular time that a man dressed in green walked up to the commander of the patrol group. He was a rather tall and sleek man, with a premature beard growing from his chin. He seemed rather rugged in appearance, but his uniform, an impressive military frock of green, white, and gold, was as eloquent and debonair as any seen in a gentlemen's army. His hair, a dark brown color, seemed rather wild, as if he had ruffled it to make his bangs drape down his face.

"Commander." He said with tough, rough sounding voice. The commander stood up in attention.

"General Venti…" the commander uttered. "I am surprised to see you here."

"Never mind that." Venti replied. "I would like to know if things are going well here. Has there been any peculiar activity going on around here?"

"No recently, sir, there has been no disturbance from the local inhabitants."-

"If you see anything that is remotely suspicious, or if you see anyone that is remotely suspicious, deal with the situation harshly and without mercy. We can't afford to have any trouble brewing in this realm."-

"But it's not as if anyone is dumb enough to actually oppose us."-

"All the same, I want strong patrols here and everywhere else in Wonderland. I have situated the troops so that most of them can be within easy reach of the keyhole and the portal. We want the plans of our Lord Sirius Viicous to succeed. He plans on using this realm to manufacture more portals."-

"It's amazing that we were able to assemble such a force here."-

"By the way, make sure to keep your men in check and well maintained in their appearance."-

"Is there some special occasion going on, general sir?"-

"Lord Sirius Viicous himself will be coming to oversee the progress we have made so far and he wants to see if the place is well secured."-

"Lord Sirius Viicous is coming? When?"-

"He will inform me within the hour." General Venti walked away from the commander. "So, if I were you, I'd make sure that I would not allow him to see me, or my men slouching about in this laid back manner."

"Yes sir." The commander turned to his men. "Alright men, back on your feet and get back into your ranks! Let's keep moving!" The patrol reformed their ranks and columns so perfectly and began to march away as they did before. Once again the sound of marching feet echoed throughout the tranquility of the forest.

Meanwhile, undetected by the forces of the Midnight Faction, the KH team had arrived, descending down the rabbit hole to the rooms of the sleeping doorknob without any resistance. They worked their way to the area, having some trouble squeezing though the series of tiny doors leading to the room where the doorknob resided, called the Bizarre Room. Sora a few times got stuck in the process and the rest of them had to push him through. Eventually, they managed to make their way into the Bizarre Room. Before them, the doorknob hung on his little door.

"Great…" Riku said. "Another little door."-

"Excuse me." Sora uttered.

"Yes…?" the doorknob mumbled, waking up from his slumber. "What is it that you want?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could just open up your door so we can get through."-

"Sorry…" the doorknob made a loud yawn. "I can't open up for you right now. Just give me five minutes at the least to finish napping. Five minutes is all I need right now."

"Do you ever wake up! This happened the last time we were here!"-

"Do you want me to handle this, Sora?" Riku implied.

"I don't think so, Riku. I know you, and you can be reckless at times."-

"Hey fellers!" Goofy said. "Looky here on the table." He pointed to two separate vials on the table, one of red and one of blue. On the side of both bottles were the words "Drink Me." Goofy took the red one in hand. "This looks delicious." He sipped it a little from the bottle. It was at that moment that an old memory struck Sora, remembering the purpose of the "Drink Me" bottles.

"Goofy, wait!" Sora cried, but the damage had been done, Goofy suddenly began to shrink into a pint sized halfwit. The party looked down at Goofy who was now three inches tall. Sora looked at him with that familiar "I told you so" look on his face.

"Hey," Goofy cried, "How'd you all get so big!"

"Big nothing," Sora said, "You're shrunk to the size of an action figure."

"Goofy," Donald said, frustrated, "once again you have proven the height of your stupidity."

"Gawrsh," Goofy implied, "so does this make you dumber than me?"

"What do you mean by that!"-

"Well, you're taller than me ain't ya?"-

"What does that have to do with anything!"-

"Well, you said 'height of stupidity'"-

"Why you…!"-

"That's enough!" Riku shouted. "Just tell me one thing! Is that normal!"

"That's what the 'Drink Me' bottles do." Sora explained. "One makes you small and the other one must restore you to your regular height." Sora then remembered another detail to the Bizarre Room. "That reminds me." Sora saw the bed at the corner of the room. He peeped his head behind the head of the bead.

"What're you doing?" Riku asked.

"I knew it." Sora said. He pushed the bed aside and revealed a small door just behind the bed. It was six inches tall and at least four inches wide. "I remember there being a door here. It was the alternative way that we were able to get into Wonderland."

"Good job, Sora."-

"Then shall we all take a swig of this?" Donald said.

"Bottoms up, as they say." Sore implied. Donald took a sip and shrunk to Goofy's level. Then, Sora and Riku took a small sip and they too shrank down.

"What a rush." Riku said. "OK, you guys. It's into the unknown." The party stood side by side and marched through the door.

The atmosphere was different now and things seemed rather unfamiliar.

"That's odd." Sora said. "From what my memory recalls, this door should have lead straight to the garden maze of the Queen of Hearts."

"This looks more like a lotus forest to me." Donald implied.

"Maybe the Queen decided to redecorate." Goofy said.

"Not with a personality like hers."-

"Well, this is called Wonderland." Riku implied. "I wouldn't be surprised if the scenery changed every so often."

"Hey!" Goofy pointed out. "Over there in that clearing!" The lotus forest ended before a vast clearing. There, a quaint little house lay just off the dirt road.

"Well now, this is new." Sora uttered. "I never recall seeing a house like this before."

"Maybe we should knock and see if there is anyone home." Donald said.

"Wait a minute." Riku stated. "How do we know that there isn't any trouble here?"

"You can sense darkness can't you, Riku?" Sora asked.

"I can. The place is clean of darkness. But what if there are Faction spies about?"-

"We'll just have to kick their butts!"-

"Good point."-

"Go ahead and knock." Goofy stepped up to the door and knocked.

"Hello!" he hollered. "Is anyone home, anyone!"

It was as he finished speaking that the door pried itself open a little and a familiar face peeped out. It was the white rabbit.

"Hello?" he said, in a frightened voice. "Who is it?"

"Hey, I remember you." Sora said. "You're the white rabbit."

"I don't know you. Please go away."-

"Don't you remember us though?"-

"Can't say that I have."-

"We're the ones who were involved in that trial with Alice ten years ago."-

"Ten years ago?" The white rabbit took a closer look at Sora. He then opened the door all the way. "Aw yes, now I remember you. You are the young man the queen trialed for trying to steal her heart a few years earlier! Sora wasn't it! Pardon my manners! Come in! Come in!" The party entered the house. The white rabbit looked about suspiciously before closing the door. He then leads the party into his parlor. Being a courteous host, he poured each of the four a cup of tea and placed a plate of biscuits and crumpets as a small snack. "So now, what brings you to these parts?"

"I don't know it you are aware of this, but we've come to stop an organization called the Midnight Faction from using this world as their own; personal hideout." Sora implied. The rabbit stopped sipping his tea. Immediately after speaking those words, Sora realized that the rabbit was crying, a tear dripped down his face.

"Heaven has blessed us." He uttered. "You have come to defeat that scourge. Oh, things have been miserable since they came."

"Why? What happened?" Donald asked.

"It was six months ago." The white rabbit began. "Wonderland had endured a long period of prosperity under the Queen of Hearts. Things seemed to be going so well. However, when on my way to work, at a hasty pace, I was stopped by a group of soldiers. They were not royal guards under the Queen, but rather soldiers of another army. They said that I was not to go the Queen's Palace because it was restricted. I told them that I acted as the messenger for the Queen of Hearts. Immediately, after uttering those words, the soldiers apprehended me and sent me to be imprisoned at the palace. The Queen, her soldiers, and all her subjects were confined in outside pins, I myself included. For three days I was imprisoned. But for that time, I was them begin construction of a rather large structure. It looked like a big metal ring with all these runes inscribed on its side."

"Giant ring?" Goofy uttered.

"That must be the portal." Sora said.

"Guys." Riku interrupted, giving the silence gesture with the index finger across the mouth. "Will you please continue?"

"In those three days, I managed to squeeze myself through the bars." The white rabbit continued. "I attempted to free the queen and her soldiers, but the Midnight Faction caught up to my plan and I was forced to flee for my life. I safely made it to my little house where, for the past few months, I was able to stay safe. So far, the Midnight Faction hasn't found this place yet."

"Well, I can guarantee you this much. You will not have to worry about the presence of the Midnight Faction for much longer."-

"Yeah!" Sora shouted. "We're here to put an end to their shenanigans."

"Yeah, and we'll stop them from causing trouble too!" Goofy chuckled.

"But I don't know how you'll do it." The white rabbit implied. "The bulk of faction's power resides at the palace of the queen. And they don't stop moving their forces about for anything. The place is heavily guarded."

"That's nothing we can't handle." Riku said. "We've engaged in these rather sticky situations before."

"You have nothing to worry about." Sora chuckled. "We'll put a stop the Midnight Faction's activities here."

"But first thing is first. We have to seal the keyhole first and cut off the manpower of the faction." It was then that something caught Riku's attention. He ran to the window and peeped out.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Sora asked. Riku could sense a familiar scent accumulating in the air. Immediately he knew what it was. It was the smell of darkness. He turned to his friends.

"They're here." he uttered.

"Who's here?" Goofy asked.

"Heartless…"-

"Heartless!" Donald said.

"Are you sure?" Sora asked, rushing to peep outside too.

"The Heartless?" The white rabbit uttered. "Are you talking about those things with the glowing yellow eyes?"

"You've encountered these things before haven't you?" Riku uttered.

"I do not dare to go outside after dusk. I have seen shadows emerge out of the ground with their yellow eyes glaring straight at me."-

"Then, it's without a doubt, you've witnessed activity of the Heartless. Even if the Phantom Forces haven't fount this place, the Heartless have." Riku turned to his friends. "Let's go you guys."

"Right." Sora implied.

"I'm with you all the way." Donald added.

"Let's get 'em!" Goofy said.

The four rushed out of the house to the front yard. Sure enough, shadows appeared and the Heartless emerged with those same yellow eyes.

"It's them." Riku said. "The Heartless."

"Well, what do you say we have some fun with them?" Sora said.

"This is no time for having a ball. Faction members may be close by, so we have to dispose of these heartless swiftly and silently."-

"Let's go get them, you guys!" Donald cried.

The party entered the fray fighting off the Heartless. Small heartless like the shadows, the soldiers, and green requiems appeared, as well as large heartless like the defenders, dark balls, and large bodies. The KH team eliminated the group of heartless that appeared first, but as soon as they were driven off, another wave of heartless would appear. The fight continued on for ten minutes. The KH team made sure refrain from using any of their more powerful attacks, so as not to attract attention, or give away any of their more powerful techniques to enemy spies who may be watching. Five waves of Heartless came attacking in that period of time, but the KH team was able to hold their own. Using only minor spells and attacks, the quickly disposed of the Heartless horde.

"I hope that battle was quiet enough for you." Sora said.

"Just as long as you didn't use any of your more powerful attacks, I think we'll do fine for now." Riku said. "The last thing we need is for the Midnight Faction to intervene."

"Uh, fellers…?" Goofy uttered his eyes wide with fear. He pointed to the edge of the clearing. The group gazed to find fifty men in black uniforms, many of them not identical to the other. Some of them wore Imperial black frocks, others wore a type of armor, and others wore a combination of the two. But one thing was for certain, each soldiers bore the symbol of the Midnight Faction upon them, whether the insignia was a shoulder band, inscribed upon their armor, a chest plate, a belt buckle, or a bandana.

"Well, well, well, look at what we have here," The leader said, "A couple of key bearers."

"What should we do with them, sir" one soldier asked.

"You guys may have been more than a match against the heartless, but how do you fair when coming against guys like us?" another soldier added with such confidence behind his words.

"We are the soldiers of the Midnight Faction." The leader implied. "And you guys have just assaulted our allies, the Heartless. Well, we can't overlook this little scenario." He then looked at the key blades that the two were holding. "You must be the legendary key bearers aren't you? The ones named Riku and Sora."

"You know us?" Sora asked.

"I certainly do. There is no one alive within the Midnight Faction who hasn't heard of your deeds against the former Dark Empire six years ago. My, how youngsters like you grow up so quickly. But despite that, you two still look like teenagers."

"I'd watch my mouth if I were you." Riku said. "We've vastly improved since our confrontation with the Heartless ten years ago."

"Our skills grew even greater when fighting against the Organization and the Unknowns." Sora added.

"And we mounted to the pinnacle of our strength when we confronted the seven members of the Cavendish Shinobis and the Gatler Generals."-

"You guys certainly talk big, but how well can you back it up?" the leader said. 'From what I understand, your world has undergone a time of peace for the past six years and yet you're telling me that you'll be able to perform at the pinnacle of strength after such a period of tranquility. I'm sure that your powers have diminished greatly since then." The leader then pulled out his sword. The other fifty men followed his example and drew out their blades as well. "Let's see how you go against the elite Phantom Forces of the Midnight Faction."

"Are we gonna fight them?" Goofy asked.

"There's no choice." Sora said. "If we allow them to send word back to their main HQ, there we'll have to contend with the full bulk of their forces."

"But in order to keep the word from spreading," Donald uttered, "you mean we have to…?"

"Yes." Riku added. "We cannot allow any of them to escape." The KH team drew their weapons. The white rabbit, scared by this incident, hid in his house, gazing through the crack in the door. The soldiers of the Midnight Faction drew their weapons, some armed with swords, others armed with spears, and some acted as covering fire with their blasters.

"Alright, boys," the leader of the soldiers said, "Kill them." The soldiers went screaming into battle all once against the oncoming troops. However, they were unaware that Riku and Sora had a plan already. Riku deployed the infamous Hurricane Slash, jolting many of the soldiers into the air. At the same time, Sora deployed the Tundra Canister, locking some of the soldiers in place. Then, rushing it, they cut down a quarter of the attacking soldiers.

"Goofy, Donald," Sora shouted, "Fusion!"

"I gotcha!" Goofy shouted. His spirit merged with Sora's while Donald's fused with Riku's. Soon, Riku and Sora became more like hyper warriors, using a series of techniques and unique attacks to eliminate the soldiers one by one. Eventually, there was only the leader, who was now terrified of the outcome of the battle.

"It's impossible." He said. "How could only four defeat fifty of the faction's toughest soldiers?" The bodies of the slain soldiers lay strewn all over the ground. However, each was killed instantly and was blessed with a quick and painless death. "You…you will pay for this!"

"Just the way it should be." Riku said as he saw the leader firing away with his blaster. Riku dodged, or deflected each incoming beam and rushed in. There was a bright flash of light when the two made impact and ended up landing opposite each other. The outcome became remarkably clear when the leader fell to the ground slain. Riku retracted his blade and the fusion between him and Donald ended. Sora's own fusion with Goofy ended as well.

"That's that then." Sora said.

"What now?" Donald asked.

"We have to get to the lotus forest as soon as we can." Riku implied. "Time is still against us."

"But we've managed to defeat all the soldiers."-

"That's not the point. Trying to hide the absence of fifty men is hard and it won't be long before the faction realizes that they're missing. We have to go and finish what we came here to do right now." Riku turned to Sora. "I want you to tell the white rabbit to leave his house as soon as he can. I fear that the Midnight Faction will discover what has been going on here and they'll want some form of retribution. Most likely they'll kill the white rabbit and torch his house. So in order to avoid that, he needs to leave his house at the earliest."-

"Right." Sora said. He ran over to the rabbit's house and the white rabbit opened the door for him. "You have to leave your home as soon as you can."

"But why?" the white rabbit asked.

"The Midnight Faction will find this place sooner, or later and there won't be anywhere for you to run when they do."-

"But leave my house to the mercy of those villains?"-

"You have no choice in the matter."-

"No! I refuse to leave!"-

"You have to."-

"I won't!"-

"What is taking so long, Sora!" Riku shouted.

"The rabbit doesn't want to leave!"-

"We don't have time for this! If he doesn't want to leave than let him stay here!"-

"But we can't just leave him, Riku. He'll never be able to survive against the faction!"-

"Then, it's his problem, not ours!"

"No, Riku! It is our problem and I won't allow him to encounter such a fate!" Sora rushed into the house, to the second story.

"Stop right there, young man!" the white rabbit protested, chasing Sora up the stairs. At the same time, Riku's veins began to pop out of his head.

"Why do you always have to be so damn stubborn, Sora!" he mumbled angrily as he marched off the give Sora a hand.

In the meantime, Sora had gone into the rabbit's bedroom, seizing his suitcase and was stuffing it with many of the rabbit's garments. The white rabbit continued to protest.

"I told you that I am not leaving my house!" the rabbit shouted.

"Listen, it's better to leave all this and be alive then to stay here and die." Sora said, trying to be as calm as possible. "I don't want to leave, knowing that I just allowed you to remain in danger." He stuffed in some white shirts and black pants into the suitcase.

"Be careful with those!"-

"There's no time. You can iron them later." It was then that Sora found a box of well designed cookies with the words 'Eat Me' written on them. "Oh, I hope you don't mind if I help myself to one of these 'Eat Me' treats." He took a bite from one of the cookies. "Hey, that's pretty good."

"What did you say, Sora?" the white rabbit realized that Sora just took a bite off of one of his 'Eat Me' cookies. Immediately, the rabbit's eyes grew large with fear. "No! Don't eat those things…!" But it was too late and the damage had been done. Sora suddenly began to grow out of control, his body growing larger and larger.

"What's happening to me?" Sora cried. The white rabbit ran out of the room before Sora took up all the space.

Meanwhile, Riku could hear all the commotion going on from outside.

"What the heck are you two doing in there!" he shouted as approached the door. But as he did, he saw the white rabbit rush outside at a quick and hasty pace. "What just happened?"

"Sora ate one of my 'Eat Me' cookies!" the rabbit replied.

"Eat Me cookies?" Goofy asked. "What are 'Eat Me' cookies?"

"So he ate a cookie." Riku said. "You say that as if it were a bad thing."

"It is a bad thing!" the rabbit implied.

"How can eating a mere cookie be bad?" It was then that a giant leg burst from the doorway and passed by Riku. Riku instantly recognized the big shoes. Riku rolled his eyes upward, before closing them in utter disgust. "Sora, what did you do now?"

"Well, there's your answer."-

"What happened?" Donald uttered, in a rather shocked manner. "Sora just took up the whole house."

"He sure got big didn't he, Donald." Goofy chuckled.

"You think!"-

"Help me, Riku!" Sora cried from inside the house. "I'm stuck!"

"I'm not surprised!" Riku shouted. "Your right leg is sticking out of the front door and your leg is sticking out of the side door! So I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that you're immobile at the moment!"

"Please, Riku. Help me!"-

"And how do you propose we do that?"-

"We can just yank him out of the chimney." Goofy implied. The party looked at him, dumbfounded.

"Sometimes I wonder if you can be any stupider." Donald uttered.

"Well, I thought I'd just bring it up."-

"It's a plan though." Riku interrupted.

"Don't tell me that you're actually gonna take Goofy's mumbo jumbo seriously are you, Riku?"-

"If a simple cookie can allow Sora to grow into a giant, I'm willing to believe anything."-

"Well, what can we lose…besides more time."-

"Then Goofy will carry out the mission."-

"Me?" Goofy said.

"Yes you." Riku implied. "This was your idea."

"I guess you're right."-

"Hey Sora, we're gonna try and yank you out through the chimney!"-

"Are you off your rocker, Riku!" Sora said. "How can that be possible! Have you seen the size of that chimney flew! That's like trying to squeeze myself through a straw!"

"If drinks and cookies can let us grow big and small, then this will be possible too."-

"Just remind me never to eat those stupid cookies again." Then, Sora's stomach began to rumble, causing a loud yet subtle roar. "I'm still hungry though." In the meantime, Goofy had made his way to the roof and was now attempting to shimmy down the chimney flew.

"Don't worry there, Sora!" he shouted. "I'll have you out in no time."

"I don't care how you look at it," Donald uttered, "there's no way that you'd be able to pull Sora through that flew."

"I feel just like Santa Claus!" Goofy slid down the chimney, into the fireplace, forcing ash and suit to bellow into the air.

"Goofy…" Sora uttered. He began to inhale the air and made ready to sneeze. From the outside, Riku and the others could see the house toss and turn.

"Well, that's not a good sign." Riku uttered. Suddenly, with one great puff, Sora let out a mighty sneeze. The air was forced upward through the chimney and like a bullet from gun, Goofy went upward bound into the air until he could no longer be seen in the big blue above.

"There goes Goofy." Donald uttered. "But I know him. He'll be back in five minutes."

"We're just gonna have to find another way to get you out of there!" Riku said.

"Oh my poor house." The white rabbit complained and sobbed.

"Well, look on the bright side. At least you'll have a good excuse not to stay anymore."-

"Riku…" Sora uttered. "I'm still hungry…"-

"Will you shut up Sora! Instead of complaining about how empty your stomach is, try thinking of a way that we can get you out of there! Unless you have forgotten that we may be expecting company soon!"-

"Well, all I need is a little nourishment." It was at that moment that Sora spied a carrot garden next to the house. "Carrots. Don't mind if I do."

"Wait!" the white rabbit protested, rushing to his garden. "You can't eat those carrots! These are my prized carrots for the fair next month."

"I'm sorry, but I have to eat something." Sora reached down to grab one of the carrots, but the rabbit guarded his carrots viciously. Finally, Sora had to pick the rabbit up, who was violently holding onto one of the large carrots plucked from the ground. "Can't I just have a nibble?"

"Not on these carrots!"-

"Perhaps you're right. In that case…" Sora brought the carrot closer to his mouth and licked the surface, just in case the carrot too had some strange effect on him. But as he did, Sora suddenly began to shrink. His legs receded through the doors and arms receded back through the open windows.


	9. Back to Wonderland PART II

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Back to Wonderland PART II**_

""What just happened?" Donald uttered.

"Sora," Riku shouted, rushing into the house, up the stairs, to the now demolished bedroom, "Are you alright?"

"More or less," Sora uttered, "but I think I'll be fine."

"You're back to your normal size again."-

"I don't get it though. The carrot had the opposite effect that the cookies had. I wonder what made it do that?"

"Never mind, you're back to normal now and that's all that counts." Riku helped his friend up to his feet. "Right now, we gotta get to the lotus forest as soon as we can."

"I gotcha."-

"But what about me?" The rabbit said.

"You're coming with us!" Sora picked up the rabbit and the suitcase and the three rushed outside.

"Come on, Donald!" Riku said. "Let's go."

"But what about Goofy?" Donald said. "He still hasn't come down." It was then that the group heard that familiar yell. They looked up to see Goofy falling fast to the ground. Instantly, when hitting the ground, a large hole, shaped like his body was formed. Goofy staggered up, stars circling around his head.

"Is it night time already?" he babbled. "Look at all the pretty stars."

"Come on you lumbering old buffoon!" Donald uttered, pulling his friend out from under the shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"I'm only three and a half years old." Goofy started jiggling his finger across his lips.

"Snap out of it, fathead!" Donald slapped Goofy across the face. Instantly, Goofy regained his composure.

"Oh, Donald, where are we?"-

"Never mind where you are! We gotta get out of here!"-

"Ok!" Riku said. "Then let's finally be on our way!"

The party left the sight of the rabbit's house, which now lay in ruins due to the cookie incident. The bodies of the fifty slain soldier remained on the ground and the place looked as if a great campaign between two mighty armies had commenced there. Thus, ended the first skirmish in Wonderland. However, there would be more battles to take place as the KH team headed towards the heavily guarded lotus forest.

It wasn't long before the suspicion regarding the fifty missing men began to spread to the high command. The one most concerned was General Venti who was the one in charge of operations there.

"Have the patrols reported anything yet?" He said angrily.

"Nothing yet, sir." One of the subordinates implied. "The third and seventh patrols have found nothing."

"Have you checked the coast, the queen's courtyard, or what about the country road to the outskirts of wonderland?"-

"There are still no messages coming in."-

"I want word sent out to the patrols as soon as possible. I need the information."-

"Sir!" another aid shouted. "We have confirmation on the missing men."

"Well, what have you got?" There was a dead awkward silence after that. Quietly, the aid placed his headset down. He then gazed at the general.

"Dead, sir…they are all dead…"-

"Dead…What do you mean dead?" asked the general.

"Apparently, the soldiers engaged in a battle. None of them survived."-

"Was it an ambush!"-

"Possibly, but it hasn't been confirmed yet, sir."-

"Well as far as I'm concerned, there are people out there who are killing my soldiers. Increase the patrols and I want the Heartless out there tracking these rebels down! I won't have any interference with our plans here!"-

"Understood!" The subordinate gave out the orders. "This is central command! This is central command! All reserved patrols head out at once for active duty! Be on the lookout for suspicious individuals! I repeat! Keep a look out for suspicious individuals!"

Suddenly, from the ground, two figures appeared. They were the new hybrid mobile droid and Heartless combination, patterned after using the data that came from Riku and Sora during the final days of the Empire, the Super Anti-Sora and the Super Anti-Riku. The two kneeled respectfully towards the general.

"Send out your Heartless legions." General Venti ordered. "I want them to prowl all of Wonderland! I want you two to personally take charge!" The two Antis receded into the shadows and disappeared. "Whoever these people are, they will regret ever daring to cross swords with the Midnight Faction."

It wasn't long before the KH team had reached the outskirts of the lotus forest. It was there that they came across a shabby little cottage. In the front courtyard, there were colored lanterns surrounding a long table. Upon it was every type of treat imaginable, along with a great deal of teapots, steaming with some sort of hot contents within. The spouts of the teapots spitted and puffed their steam, tooting a little melody in the air.

"This looks like some sort of party, or something." Sora uttered.

"I'm surprised that they haven't caught further attention." Riku said.

"This is the cottage of the March Hare and the Mad Hatter!" the white rabbit said.

"No wonder the place looked familiar." Sora implied. "We've been here before."

"You have?" Riku asked.

"It was when we first began to confront the Heartless ten years ago."-

"Now that we're here, we still are."-

"I've never actually met the Mad Hatter and the March Hare face to face though."-

"And you wouldn't want to meet them face to face." The white rabbit implied. "Those two are rather daft, as if there's no one upstairs."

"Well, I think I can cope with that."-

"You won't think that when you've actually had a conversation with them."-

"Aw, they can't be goofier than me can they?" Goofy uttered.

"They are more like you than you think."-

"Well, let's go in." Sora said.

"We don't have time to be reminiscing with a couple of halfwits!" Riku protested.

"Come on Riku, it'll be fun!" Sora pushed Riku from behind. "Now don't be shy talking to the nice nutcases!"

The party approached the table to see the Mad Hatter and the March Hare sitting down drinking there tea in their own daffy way. They sang in verse like drunken men at a pub.

"Um…excuse us…" Riku uttered.

"No room!" The two suddenly shouted out, when they saw the party coming in. They rushed over to them, leaping over each other's heads chanting and raving the same line over and over again. "No room! No room! No room!"

"What are you talking about no room!" Donald shouted. "It looks like there are an awful lot of empty chairs around this table! Not unless you're still waiting for some more guests to arrive!"

"Yes, but it's very rude to sit down without being invited." The March Hare jabbered.

"I'll say it's rude!" said the Mat Hatter. "It's very, very rude indeed."

"Sorry about intruding." Sora said.

"We did enjoy your singing though." Goofy added. "It sounded so harmon…harmon…harm."

"Harmonious." Donald said.

"That's it!"-

"You enjoyed our singing!" The March Hare chuckled, twiddling his fingers about.

"Oh how delightful!" the Mad Hatter added. "You know this is so exciting! We never get company! You must have a cup of tea!"

"Aw yes, the tea, you must sit down and have a cup of tea!"-

"Well, the fact of the matter is…" Sora uttered.

"Oh tish tosh! You should have some tea! We'd enjoy your company!"-

"Well, we'd love to stay here and celebrate your birthday but…"-

"Birthday!" The March Hare protested. "Why young man, this is not a birthday party!"

"Of course it isn't." the Mad Hatter added. "This is an un-birthday party!"

"An un-birthday?" Donald muttered. He turned to Goofy, twirling his index finger in circles at the side of his head, indicating that these two were nuts.

"What the heck is an un-birthday party?" Sora asked.

"It's very simple!" the March Hare explained. "You see an un-birthday…wait…" he scratched head with his ears before attempting to define the term again. "An un-birthday is when you have a birthday…you…" The March Hare began to mumble to himself. "They don't know what an un-birthday is."

"It's quite simple to explain." the Mad Hatter said. "Now, statistics prove that you have one birthday!"

"One birthday, just imagine one birthday every year!"-

"Aw, but there are 364 un-birthdays!"-

"Precisely why we're gathered here to cheer!"-

"But wouldn't that mean that you have nothing better to do than to celebrate un-birthdays once a day?" Sora asked. "Doesn't that get old!"

"Listen, you two!" Riku interrupted. "We don't have much time and we…"-

"Now my dear boys!" the Mad Hatter said. "Something appears to be troubling you!" He took another sip of tea. "Would you mind explaining more about it!"

"Start at the beginning!" the Hare implied.

"Yes, and when you reach the end…stop…"-

"I was wondering when you would take this seriously." Riku said. "I'll get to the point. You see we…"

"Clean cup! Clean cup!" The Mad Hatter suddenly spurted out. "Move down!"

"Clean cup! Clean cup! Move down!" the Hare repeated.

"I told you it was a waste of time trying to talk to these two." The white rabbit implied.

"Would you young men like a little more tea?"-

"We haven't had any yet." Sora uttered.

"Now, as you were saying before?" the Mad Hatter asked.

"Well, the thing is that I would like to know about…?" Riku said, before he was once again cut off.

"This is quite excellent tea that we picked out for today's un-birthday celebration isn't it?" The March Hare implied.

"I have to say so." The Mad Hatter said.

"Listen, before I was so rudely interrupted…" Riku said.

"Come now, my boys. Don't you care for tea?"-

"I'm alright with tea, but the thing is…"-

"If you don't care for tea, you could at least make a polite conversation!" The Hare added.

"But I've been trying to tell you…!" Riku's voice grew higher in pitch and become more hostile, but again he was interrupted.

"I have an excellent idea…let's change the subject!"-

"ARGH!" Riku roared and attempted to lunge at the two, but Sora, Donald, and Goofy held him back.

"Stay calm, Riku!" Sora shouted. "Stay calm!"

"I'm going to kill them! I'm going to kill them myself! Forget about the Midnight Faction getting to them first!"-

It was those particular two words that halted the antics of the March Hare and the Mad Hatter. Their daffy attitude turned to fear and seriousness.

"The Midnight Faction!" The Mad Hatter uttered. "Do you know about the Midnight Faction!"-

"Yes we do." Donald said.

"You're members of the faction then, aren't you!" The March Hare implied. The two fell to their knees and begged for forgiveness.

"Oh please forgive us!" they bawled.

"We didn't know!" said the Mad Hatter.

"Forgive our rude behavior!"-

"We meant nothing by it!"-

"Don't take us away!"-

This sudden plea of humbleness caught the KH team by surprise. Riku calmed down and regained his stamina.

"I take it that you have encountered the Midnight Faction before." He uttered.

"Yes, we have."-

"Well, you have nothing to worry about." Sora implied. "We're not members of the Midnight Faction."

"But how are you affiliated with them?" Riku asked.

"Well, it's not that we've actually encountered any members of the Midnight Faction, but we've heard rumors throughout Wonderland of the cruel and terrible things that they do." The March Hare said.

"They even managed to capture the Queen of Hearts and her subjects." The Mad Hatter added. "We've tried our best to keep our lives the way they are, but this impeding threat seems to getting closer."

"Don't worry though," Riku said, "That's why we're here."

"Yeah," Sora added. "We're to stop the Midnight Faction's activity in this world."

"We've come to find the keyhole!" Goofy said.

"Speaking of which," Riku said, "We better get going. We've wasted enough time already." But as soon as he uttered those words, a strange sensation began to encircle the area. Riku knew exactly what it was "We have company."

"We have company?" Donald asked. "What do you mean?"

"Be on your guards!" Riku unleashed his keyblade. Sure enough, several pairs of yellow eyes peeped from the shadows.

"Heartless!" Sora shouted, deploying his own keyblade. Goofy and Donald deployed their weapons.

"But how did you know they were coming?" Donald asked.

"You forget?" Riku implied. "I can detect darkness through my being. It reverberates throughout my body affecting all my senses. And that particular type of darkness puts a foul taste in my mouth." Sure enough, groups of Heartless began to emerge from the shadows and darkness, surrounding the team.

"What are these?" the Mad Hatter implied.

"Heartless." Sora said. "We've fought these guys more times than we'd like to remember."

"We have to seal this world as soon as we can." Donald said

"This is intolerable." The white rabbit uttered, peeking from behind Sora's leg.

"Well just make sure that you stay behind us, you three." Sora looked at Donald. "Donald! Fusion!"

"Right!" The two made temporary fusion and began to hack away at the Heartless.

"Make sure only to use minor attacks." Riku said. "We don't want to attract further attention."

"I gotcha!" Sora said. He hacked and slashed at the Heartless as best he could without drawing further attention to their presence. Fighting the Heartless was completely different from fighting soldiers of the faction, so Sora spared none without a second thought. But then again, the Heartless were the types that would never back down from a fight. Riku and Goofy on the other hand kept a tight perimeter around the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the white rabbit. They attacked all who dared to strike at them. However, the Heartless numbers did not seem to ease up. When it seemed that one wave of Heartless was defeated, another would rush in to take its place. Sora kept close to the group, fighting off the bulk of the attacking Heartless. Riku and Goofy took out the ones that somehow managed to filter themselves passed Sora. Fire and ice mowed down the Heartless by the ranks, reducing their numbers dramatically. It wasn't long before Sora's temporary fusion with Donald ended and the two split up again.

"We've run out of juice!" Sora shouted.

"Then, leave everything to me!" Riku implied. "Goofy!"

"I gotcha!' Goofy said. The two made a temporary fusion and Riku's body could feel the essence of Goofy enter him. He then took over the position of fighting the Heartless, slashing away and further dwindled their ranks. Eventually the Heartless ceased to attack as there were no more to fight. The entire force had been eradicated.

"I guess that takes care of that." Riku said as his fusion with Goofy ended.

"Thank you!" The Mad Hatter implied. "You have saved our lives!"

"Well, it was really nothing." Sora said.

"We have to get going." Riku said. "The more time we waste, the more likely the faction's plans will succeed."

"Riku has a point." Donald added. "We've overstayed out welcome."

"You're right." Sora replied. "Then, we better be off."

"Wait!" The March Hare said. "What about us?"

"The only thing I can say is you three stay in doors and keep quiet. Now that the Heartless have fought us on your premises, there is no doubt that they'll be back."-

"Let's go." Riku uttered, walking away without a second glance. Sora and the others followed him. Little did they realize that they were being watched by a pair of Heartless who had observed the fight from afar. They were none other than the Super Anti- Riku and Sora. The two, artificial Heartless withdrew into the shadows and began a silent pursuit.

It wasn't long before the group reached the region of the lotus forest. However, there was no hustle, or bustle going on, no activity whatsoever. There was only the rustling of the trees and the sound of insects hovering in the air. The KH team entered the vicinity, looking around for the elusive keyhole.

"Now, where the heck is that keyhole?" Donald implied.

"Keep a lookout." Riku said. "I know this type of tactic. If the keyhole is around here, it would be guarded by the Heartless."

"Do you think we'll encounter legions of them like before?"-

"We'll be confronting legions of Heartless alright. And I'm referring to those big Heartless that are tough to take down. Those will be the ones we confront."-

"Can you sense any presence?" Sora asked.

"Not yet." Riku gazed about, using his ability to sense the darkness in order to pinpoint the exact location of Heartless ambush parties.

"Gawrsh." Goofy uttered. "Sure feels uneasy."

"Ah phooey!" Donald shouted. "Let those Heartless come and pick a bone with us! I bet they're scared to fight us!"

"Shut up, Donald." Sora said. "The last thing we want is for those legions of Heartless to come down on us when we're most vulnerable."

"Too late." Riku said. He suddenly felt an great amount of darkness emerging from all around them. "We have company."

Sure enough, as Riku had finished his statement, there were again legions of Heartless appearing from out of thin air. The team drew their weapons out and began to hold off the Heartless legions. Riku and Goofy once again merged with one another and Sora and Donald did the same. Their fusion made short work of the first wave of Heartless. However, a second wave emerged and attacked the group. There were hundreds of Heartless in the second wave and their overwhelming numbers seemed to take a toll of the KH team.

"There are just too many of them!" Sora said.

"Don't give up!" Riku implied. "We have to prevail as best we can!"

For ten minutes, the two fused individuals slashed and struck at as many Heartless as they could. Eventually, the fusion ceased and the two were once again four. This time on their individual basis, each fought his own share of Heartless. Riku unleashed many of his newer attacks which finished off the Heartless instantly, like the Iceberg Shurikens and Cinder Canister. Sora did the same, using powerful attacks that were yet minor at the same time, so as not to attract further attention, deploying tactics like the Tundra Canister and Twister Strike. He used his minor teleportation technique to surprise his enemies from behind. At the same time, Donald and Goofy continued their own fighting. Donald backed up the rest of the group deploying Curaga, Thundaga, Firaga, and Stopga spells. He used every spell in his arsenal, from healing his comrades, to providing thunder strikes from above, to deploying wind shields to prevent serious blows from being inflicted. Now that the team was fighting against the Heartless, Curaga could be used to its full advantage, so no casualty was inflicted. With every hit taken from the Heartless, the MP level increased within them. And Donald did not have to use as many vials of Ether, or potion.

"Just like old times, eh guys?" Riku asked.

"Definitely!" Sora added.

"Let's keep it up!" Donald shouted.

"Come on!" Goofy cried, deploying his tornado spin.

The Heartless continued to attack in waves however, and the KH team despite superior fighting skills was eventually starting to lose ground against superior numbers. It seemed that after defeating ten or twenty Heartless, another one hundred would take their place.

"This place is heavily guarded by Heartless!" Sora said. "The keyhole must be here then."

"There seems to be no end to them!" Donald implied.

"The darkness around us is still lingering." Riku explained. "But it seems that they're running out of manpower in this area. Just keep fighting for a few more minutes and we'll be able to drain them of their numbers."

The KH team fought valiantly with each passing minutes seeming like an eternity now. Gradually, with each casualty they inflicted on the Heartless, the less frequent the Heartless seemed to appear. Soon, within ten minutes time, the conflict was over and the hordes ceased to attack.

"There it is!" Goofy shouted. The team glanced to where he pointed and saw a large keyhole inscribed on the side of a huge boulder.

"That must be it, eh Sora?" Riku said.

"It sure is." Sora replied, but as had finished that statement, he saw a shadow appear behind Riku. Its shadow sword was drawn upward ready to strike. "Riku, look out behind you!" Riku turned to see the blade coming down upon him, he dodged the strike, but the sword itself grazed his arm. Blood dripped from the open wound.

"What's this? The Heartless can't inflict physical wounds like this!" He looked up to see the familiar face of the thing that he did battle with in the depths of Gombria six years earlier. "The…Anti-Riku…"

"It's one of the Super Anti!" Sora added, his face dripping with fear.

"This thing must be an artificial Heartless, much like the ones we fought in Gombria. I wasn't able to sense the darkness coming from those back then. The same goes for this thing. There seems to be no real dark core within it."-

"It's definitely a hybrid. A real Heartless, no matter how strong, cannot inflict a wound that can draw blood. So this is definitely a Super Anti, combined between Heartless and mobile droid. But this one is completely different. I couldn't even detect an energy source when it appeared."-

"I guess they've perfected this new hybrid Heartless. Not only can it inflict physical wounds this time, but it also has no energy signal. It must consist mostly of mobile droid make up."

The Anti-Riku slowly drew itself closer, hovering over the ground like a ghost. Its yellow eyes glimmered brightly upon its shadow like body. Riku and Sora grasped at their keyblades tightly, ready to battle.

"Are you ready, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Yeah." Sora replied.

"Look out fellers!" Goofy shouted.

"Behind you!" Donald added. Riku and Sora turned quickly to see another shadow appear behind them. Dodge rolling to evade the strike; the two rejoined each other to see a bizarre combination.

"That's…that's…" Sora uttered.

"A Super Anti-Sora…" Riku added. They saw as both Anti stood side by side, their pair of eyes glowing profusely upon their shadowy being. "This is just like back in Gombria. Because they don't contain any true darkness within, I can't detect them through my sense of darkness. To top it all off, because they're artificial, they don't accumulate any energy so we can't pick up their power levels."

"I was able to defeat them the last time though." Sora uttered. "With the power of the rage that Cuchulain gave to me, I was able to take them down."

"Then if you don't mind, could you use the rage and get rid of these buggers."-

"There's only one large difference though." Sora implied. "When I fought them in Gombria, it was within the darkness. But here, it's sunny and there are only a few shadows to which they can hide. How will they adapt in this particular scenario?"

"Good point. Without the presence of shadows, they have no protective cover."-

"Will they use the after image technique like last time and try to elude us?"-

"That's one of the oldest forms of Heartless deception. Without a doubt that's what they'll attempt to do!"-

However, the hypothesis made by Riku and Sora were wrong. Instead, the two Anti attacked head on with full force, their swords drawn towards the key bearers. Riku and Sora were taken completely by surprise. They drew up their keyblades and took on the impact of the Heartless shadowswords. The minute their weapons made contact, both Riku and Sora realized the full strength of the foes that they were confronting. Instantly, the two sides began to grapple with each other with intense force and precision. The battle raged on as blades clashed with great swiftness. Riku vs. Anti-Riku and Sora vs. Anti-Sora, the battle became an intense spectacle.

"Riku, Sora," Donald shouted. "Let us give you a hand!"

"No!" Sora implied. "We can't afford to have you guys hurt right now!"

"Stay right where you are!" Riku added. "I have a plan! Just stay clear of our fight!"

"A plan?" Goofy uttered. "I wonder what kind of plan?"

"Whatever it is," Donald implied, "we have to stay out of this fight. Knowing Riku, he probably has a good initiative set up."

The two watched on as the fight between key bearers and the Anti raged on. With such nimbleness, such swiftness, and such skill, the two opposing sides battled putting all other fights in the past to shame. However, there was a difference between the two. Because the Anti-Riku and Sora were artificial, they did not endure any type of fatigue. They slowly began to wear Riku and Sora down with every blow given and taken.

"We won't last like this!" Sora shouted. "I mean these two haven't lightened up on their attacks."

"That's precisely what those two are trying to do, Sora." Riku implied.

"What do you mean?"-

"Though our fighting strengths and skills are equal, these two are artificial. Therefore, they don't experience any sort of fatigue, or weariness. So they can maintain that same level of intense fighting for as long as they so please. You and I, however, are only human beings and we get tired after an extended time of physical strain. If this keeps up, we won't be able to contend with anymore powerful blows."-

"What do you propose we do?"-

"Donald, Curaga spell now!"-

"Right!" Donald shouted. He replenished Riku and Sora with new energy. Riku and Sora were back on their feet and more intense than ever.

"That's good!" Riku said. "Keep supplying us with a squirt of Curaga!"

"That's your plan then?"-

"All we need is for you to do is revive our strength every so often."-

"I understand!"-

"Sora! Let's finish this now!"-

"Right!" Sora suddenly powered up. "Close your eyes Riku! Close your eyes you guys!" Riku and the others concealed their eyes. "Corona Flash Barrage!" Suddenly, he unleashed a barrage of bright flashes of light. The two anti were caught completely off guard. "Riku, use your Cinder Canister to finish the job!"

"Here it goes!" Riku also began to power up and unleashed the attack. The energy balls went flying towards the blinded antis. There was a loud impact and a series of explosions amidst the blinding light. The heat that accumulated was so intense, it force Riku and Sora to shield their eyes with their arm. As the light and heat subsided, the forms of the two antis fell to the ground. Riku and Sora, depleted of their energy, could barely stand. They collapsed to the ground on their knees and breathed heavily.

"That was intense!" Riku said.

"Too intense if you ask me." Sora uttered.

"Hey!" Donald implied. "You guys did pretty well out there! Here's a squirt of Curaga just for you!" Donald showered the boys with the Curaga spell and they jumped back onto their feet, ready willing and able.

"Let's just be glad that there were only two of those things." Riku said.

"Now I see why Sneer wanted us to eradicate the assembly line for these antis." Sora said. "They'd be able to cause destruction throughout the worlds in no time."

"Though replenished, we used up all our energy again in order to unleash such a powerful attack." The two turned their attentions back to the keyhole on the side of the boulder.

"Well, shall we then?"-

"Let's"-

The two keybearers stood back to back. Then, turning their heads towards the keyhole, they raised their blades in unison. At that same instant, two beams of light, one blue and one red, deployed themselves towards the keyhole. There was a bright light that accumulated from the keyhole before it diminished from sight, leaving only its imprint upon the rock.

"That's one mission accomplished." Sora uttered. "Now, all that's left is to destroy that inter-dimensional tunnel."

"Too bad for you two!" a voice suddenly shouted. "You won't be getting that far from now on! Your little escapade ends here!" Riku and Sora turned to see none other than the infamous leader of the Phantom Forces within Wonderland.

"Who are you?" Donald asked.

"I am General Venti," he replied, "The leader of the Phantom Forces here!" The General began to approach the team. "I never would have thought that you two would be getting involved in other world affairs again. It's bad enough that your meddling brought down the foundation of the former Dark Empire, but now you have to interfere with the activities of the Midnight Faction!" Suddenly, hordes of Heartless Behemoths, Dark Balls, Defenders, and Invisibles appeared. Alongside them came the patrol units of the Midnight Faction. The Phantom Force and the Heartless surrounded the KH team, their blades and blasters drawn upon them. "If I were you, I'd suggest surrendering. There's no way that you can stop this many powerful foes. Not with the dwindling amount of supplies you have now."

"Why you…" Sora uttered.

"Don't Sora." Riku implied. "Despite our skills and strength, we wouldn't last long against them. We're gonna need some help." The KH team drew down their weapons.

"Alright men," Venti uttered, "Take them away!" The team was deprived of its weapons and was bound. The faction then escorted them to the prisons where the rest of the poor Wonderland inhabitants were being held. It seemed that all their efforts and all their sacrifices had come to an abrupt end. Or is it that Riku has some other plan waiting to be unleashed?


	10. The Phantom Lord

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**The Phantom Lord**_

The KH team was led to the palace of the Queen of Hearts. Heavily guarded by the Midnight faction, they were marched through the hedge maze of the palace and into the main grass courtyard. This place, once used as a sight to entertain the queen's guest, now had portable prisons set up about the perimeter. It was here that the poor inhabitants of the land were confined, including the queen herself. She was not given any sort of leverage, or special treatment, despite her royal position, but rather both she and her tiny little husband, the King of Hearts were placed in one of the compounds like mere commoners. It was in this same compound that Riku, Sora, Goofy, and Donald were placed. It seemed as if things were once again turning against them. Bound by chains, they were forced into the compound.

"This is your new home, boys!" General Venti said. "You'll be lucky to know that you won't have to endure staying in these quarters for very long. You'll be executed within the hour."

"What do you mean executed?" Donald asked.

"Oh not you, my fine feathered friend. And this doesn't apply to that stupid idiot next to you as well."-

"Where?" Goofy said, looking around to see if he could find anyone to fit the description of a stupid idiot. "You know who he's talking about Donald?"

"This also doesn't concern you, Sora." General Venti implied. "No, you three will have the privilege of keeping your necks, unless otherwise notified." General Venti suddenly grinned in a threatening way towards Riku. "It's you that we plan to execute, Riku."

"Why only me?" Riku asked.

"Apparently, these were orders set down by his Excellency, the Phantom Lord. He gave us the order that if we were to encounter the key bearer, named Riku, we were ordered to issue an immediate execution. Now, I don't know why he would want only you killed, but all I know is that he wants you dead."-

"And who might this Phantom Lord be?"-

"I don't know who he is either. No one has ever seen his face. I included. All I know is that he bears some personal grudge against you. Oh well, it's really none of my business. His orders were to carry out your execution, so that's what I'm gonna do."

"You won't land a hand on Riku!" Sora shouted out.

"Yeah!" Donald protested.

"We're Riku's friends!" Goofy added. "We won't give him to you!"

"This does not concern you three." General Venti implied. "So I suggest that you stay out of this affair. Otherwise, if you try to resist this declaration, then you may end up dead as well. And I'm sure you wouldn't want that."

"Why you…" Sora uttered, angrily. Riku raised his arm in front of his friend.

"Don't do this, Sora." He said.

"But Riku…"

"This Phantom Lord seems to be after my life. I don't know why he wants my execution, or why he would bear a grudge against me, but I know this much, this is an affair that concerns me and only me. I don't want any of you to get involved. Doing so would only promote your own demise."-

"But we're your friends, Riku. We don't wanna see you die." Sora lowered his head. "Or have you forgotten…" Sora raised his head again, tears running down his face. "Have you forgotten what we had gone through in the dark of Gombria!" Sora turned away, not able to look at his friend. "I don't want to endure such a loss again." He then felt Riku's had on his shoulder. Sora gazed at Riku, who still looked ahead towards Venti.

"I don't intend on dying yet, Sora. Not when we're still so early in the game." Riku glared at Venti. Venti only grinned menacingly and withdrew with his troops. At the same time, the weapons of the KH team were placed on a wrack just a few yards away from the compound to which they were confined.

"But I wonder who this Phantom Lord is?" Donald asked.

"I don't know," Riku said, "but as far as I know, he could have been an innocent individual I may have victimized those many years ago. Perhaps when I was serving under the Heartless, this individual may have emerged in my life." He then turned to Sora whose eyes were still moist. "I told you Sora, I don't intend to die that soon."

"Well, that's a well in good, but how do you intend that we get out of here?"-

"What I plan to do is…" But before Riku could finish, along came a big brash lady in a red and black dress. She was eloquent and robust in appearance. However, her attitude was anything, but petite.

"Well, well, well," she uttered calmly at first, "If it isn't that boy that saved my heart those years ago."

"You're…you're…" Sora stuttered. "The Queen of Hearts."

"So, you're the monarch we've heard about." Riku said.

"You dear boys must have tried so hard to rescue me."-

"Well, what we really came here for is to…"-

"Off course we came here to save you!" Sora interrupted, jumping about to attract the queen's attention. "That's why we have traveled all the way here to Wonderland!"

"Oh how bold of you two young men!" The queen blushed and turned away temporarily.

"Have you gone insane?" Riku whispered to Sora, angrily. "Come all this way to save the Queen of Hearts! Have you looked at her lately!"

"We don't want to cause tension between us and her." Sora replied, big drips of sweat rolling down his face, due to his fear. "You don't wanna tick this queen off. Otherwise, heads will roll…literally."

"Well, I wouldn't blame you two for saying that." A voice uttered. Sora and Riku looked down to see a small man with a crown on his head stand just between them. Riku and Sora jumped up in fright. "Don't worry. I won't tattle on you. I too have had my hard times with that woman. She can be over-eccentric at times."

"Exactly who are you again?"-

"Oh, where are my manners." The little man drew up his hand to shake hands with the two young men. "I am the Queens significant other. I am the King of Hearts." Sora looked at him and then looked at the queen. He then looked down at the king again, then back at the queen.

"You two are a little bit of an odd couple."-

"A little bit?" Riku said.

"Anyway, what have you really come here for?" the king asked.

"We've come to save this world." Riku explained.

"Yeah." Goofy interrupted. "And we also came to destroy a big tunnel!"

"He means the inter-dimensional that was constructed here."-

"Well, why didn't you say so?" the king said. "You'll find that massive structure within the courtyard of the palace itself. You can in fact see the structure from here." The king pointed towards the towering steeples of the palace. There, just below these tall structures, the shape of a large metal ring could be seen."

"That's the gate alright." Riku said.

"How are we gonna get to it?" Goofy asked.

"Yeah, we're still trapped behind this stockade!" Donald added.

"You forget?" Riku replied. "Sora and I are armed with keyblades. All we have to do is summon them to us and they will appear in our hands."

"Just one problem though." Sora implied. He pointed to a pair of guards who stood vigilant at the wrack where the keyblades were placed. "If we try to summon our keyblades now, that will be a signal for those guards to assemble the rest of the faction here. Then escaping will be literally impossible."

"You're right. And these guys were definitely ready for us. They have the stockade equipped with a force field top to prevent any ascended escaping."

"Then how will you initiate your escape?" the King of Hearts asked.

"Fellas…" Donald implied. He pointed to where the keyblades were at. Peering out of the brush of the maze was none other than the white rabbit, the March hare, and the mad hatter. They sneaked about along the brush.

"Are those guys nuts?" Sora uttered. "What if they're caught?"

Just then, the March hare leaped out of the brush and tackled one of the guards, forcing the soldier to fall flat on his face.

"I'm fastest as can be!" he chuckled. "You'll never catch me!"

"Why you little…!" the guard shouted. Both soldiers began to chase the agile hare around and around the courtyard with no luck of laying a finger on him. The hare only whistled and chuckled, running and hopping about, eluding the two guards. Pretty soon, more soldiers of the faction were involved in the chase, trying to catch the hare.

"He's not trying to sneak about." Riku said. "He's acting as a diversion."

As soon as Riku had uttered those words, the white rabbit was next to leap out of the brush. More so he was kicked into the open by the mad hatter.

"Oh dear!" he cried as the soldiers began to chase him as well. The rabbit ran out of sight, with twenty soldiers trying to chase after him.

"Looks like the coast is clear." Sora uttered.

"Then, let's get our keyblades back." Riku implied. The two used their hearts to summon the keyblades. The keyblades vanished from the wrack and emerged in the hands of the two keyblade masters. Riku aimed for the lock on the stockade gate. "Sora, you free the card guards."

"Right." Sora said. The card guards had been placed in card deck prison cases and were crammed tightly together. Sora aimed for the lock and released the guards. The gates to the stockade were unlocked and the prisoners came pouring out like gushing water. The guards retrieved their weapons and began to fight the soldiers of the faction within the vicinity.

"Thought you boy could use a little hand." The Mad Hatter chuckled, leaping from the bushes.

"I thought we told you guys to stay out of this." Sora said. "It's dangerous."

"I know, but we couldn't just allow you to go in without a battle plan." Sora could only smile.

"Well…thanks."-

"Well done, boys," the King of Hearts said. "Well done. Splendid display of talent you've carried out with."

"It was nothing." Sora uttered.

"Come on, Sora." Riku implied. "We don't have very long. We have to get to the palace and destroy that inter-dimensional tunnel."

"Right."-

"Let's get going, fellers!" Goofy added.

"This ends now!" shouted Donald. The four rushed to their next destination.

At the same time, General Venti, still unaware of what happened at the stockade, awaited the coming of his leader, the Phantom Lord. The Phantom Lord had come the way by gummi ship and now his ship secretly descended in the Lotus Forest. The reason for this is because he was expecting to give a surprise inspection of the operations there. As the gummi landed and its sealed hatch opened, the masked tyrant emerged from within it. General Venti keeled before his lord, bowing his head solemnly.

"My lord…" he uttered. There was a slight stuttered in his voice, as if there were something wrong. The Phantom Lord immediately picked it up. "I hope you had a pleasant trip?"

"More or less." The Phantom Lord replied. "Stand up, General Venti. Stand up and look me in the eye." Venti stood up and slowly raised his head, having his eyes have contact with the eyes of his lord, which lay behind thin sheets of glass that were built into the masks eyeholes. "There is something bothering is there. I can tell by the way you talk and the way you are looking at me. You had a slight tremble being your words as if you're afraid to tell me something. Well, that's exactly what I want to know. Tell me what it is that is on your mind."

"Well, you see, my lord. The door to this world…it has been closed…"-

"What…?"-

"It's true, my lord. The door to this world…has been shut again…"-

"That's ridiculous. Only someone who wields on of these has the potential to close the doors that connect worlds." The Phantom Lord revealed his dark keyblade to the general. "Tell me who it was that resealed the door to this world?"

"It was the keyblade masters."-

"That's utter nonsense. They were supposed to be assassinated by Ranker and Archibald back on Destiny Island."-

"Well apparently, it seems that their attempts have failed. I saw the keybearers here with my own eyes. In fact, we were the ones that helped capture them for you."-

"You captured them?"-

"Yes, my lord. But we were too late to help prevent them from sealing the door."-

"Then I will just have to reopen the door." The Phantom Lord raised his keyblade and aimed straight for the imprint of the keyhole, which still remained on the rock from where it first appeared. He then fired the beam of the blade into the imprint, hoping to reopen the seal. But for some reason, his keyblade had no effect on the keyhole. He tried again, but the seal remained in tact. "What is this? Why won't my keyblade reopen the door? It should be able to break the seal of their keyblade."

"That's because they both sealed the door." General Venti implied.

"What do you mean they both sealed the door?"-

"They aimed their keyblades and fired at the keyhole in unison."-

"Damn!" The Phantom Lord retracted his keyblade. "They used a double sealing technique. Now not even I can reopen the door." The Phantom Lord sneered behind the mask. He turned to Venti. "I want you to carry out with the execution of Riku as soon as possible. The sooner we're rid of him, the sooner we can stop the KH team and their allies from pummeling our plans again."

"I understand. However, if you don't mind me asking, my lord, why have you chosen Riku to be your scapegoat?"-

"There is no need for a tainted soul like that to exist. One who can balance the scale of light and darkness in his heart does not deserve to exist. The reality is that you must be either all one or all the other. There are no compromises."-

"Still…"-

"Do you wish to further question my orders?" Venti suddenly silenced himself as he saw the Phantom Lord gaze at him.

"I will carry out your orders, sir, no questions further asked."-

Suddenly, a transmitted message set off the General communication device. He took out the device and activated the holographic image.

"What is it?" Venti asked.

"Sir," the aid uttered, "We have a major problem, sir. There has been a jailbreak and all the prisoners are now engaging in battle with our soldiers in the compound. Once more, the key bearers have escaped and it seems that their on their way to the palace."-

"What!"-

"I'm terribly sorry, sir."-

"How could you let this happen!"-

"It was by some strange twist of fate, sir."-

"How long ago did they escape?"-

"They started moving about a half an hour ago."-

"Then, why didn't you inform me of this predicament ahead of time!"-

"There was no communication from the stockades, so we fear that many of the soldiers on duty were probably killed or taken captive."-

"Never mind the rest of those idiots, I want all defense concentrated on the queen's palace! You said that the key bearers were on their way to the palace. Without a doubt, they must be going after the inter-dimensional gate. We need to prevent them from destroying that gate at all cost! We're on a tight schedule enough as it is and we cannot afford to waste anymore time trying to build a second one. I will be there as soon as I can."-

"I understand, Sir." The transmission ended.

"My apologies, my lord," General Venti implied, "But I have a situation to attend to."

"I thought you said you had everything under control here." The Phantom Lord said.

"Well, we never would have thought that such a thing would happen! But I can assure you that the key bearers and their comrades won't go any further. Security is tight around the palace and even they can't stand against overwhelming numbers. So, if you will excuse me, sir." General Venti scurried off to the palace as quickly as he could with his staff, leaving the Phantom Lord standing idle near his gummi.

"You fool." He uttered. "It'll take more than mere manpower to stop the key bearers."

The compound was now in utter chaos. The card guards of the queen clashed against the forces of the Midnight Faction, pushing their way to the palace. Leading the way was Riku and Sora, slashing away with their keyblades at the numbers of faction soldiers and heartless that emerged from out of the wood work. The number of cards equaled the number of faction soldiers and heartless and the battle lines receded and advanced continuously. However, one point of the line, like the head of an arrow, was lead by the KH team who continuously pushed their way to the palace.

"Come on!" Riku shouted.

"Let's get them!" Donald added, firing endless barrages of magic spells at the attacking hordes of heartless and faction troops.

"We got them!" Goofy said, using his shield to fend of the attackers.

"Keep pushing forward!" Sora cried.

What the Phantom Lord had said to General Venti was true. It would take more than just manpower to stop the strength of the KH team, who were now at the gates of the palace. Guards and heartless attacked from all directions in swarms, but even so, they were no match for the oncoming KH team and their legions of cards.

"We're almost there!" shouted Donald.

"Just a little further and we would have reached our destination!" Sora added.

But as they reached the gates of the palace, faction soldiers from atop the high walls began to barrage the attackers with their blasters. Explosions decimated the ranks of the attacking cards. It was at the wall that the line of cards began to waver and recede.

"Sora!" Riku implied. "Those guys on the walls could prove to be some trouble for our forces. I want you to deploy some of your elemental spells and keep them silent. At least until we manage to break through the gate."

"I gotcha!" Sora replied. He turned to Donald. "Donald!"-

"I'm way ahead of you!" Donald implied.

"Fusion!" The two fused bodies and Sora could feel a new strength merge with his own. Using his flight ability, he ascended to level himself with the wall. He then deployed the Twister Strike, blowing off many of the soldiers from atop the wall. He landed on the walkway of the wall and deployed Tundra Canister, spilling across the ground so that the troops who would try to re-secure the wall would slip and tumble on their way up and not put up much of a resistance. Sure enough, several squadrons of faction soldiers began to ascend up the walls by stair access. However, the slippery ice prevented them from advancing any further.

"Takes care of that." Sora chuckled. But suddenly, from above, Heartless appeared to stop them. "What's this, more idiots?" The Heartless came soaring down upon Sora with great force. But Sora only smiled. "You just never learn do you? You're not dealing with a naïve young teenager anymore, but a mature young man!" Sora leaped up and fired a barrage of spells, eliminating the heartless waves with ease. The Heartless, despite their numbers, which came in the hundreds at times, could not resist for very long against the battle hardened key bearer.

At the same time, Riku increased his own strength and used the Cinder Canister to break down the gates of the castle. The fireballs created quite an impact of the gates, breaking them from their foundations, the gates fell to the ground and the loud thud of the falling wooden structures reverberated throughout the battlefield.

"The gates have been opened!" Riku cried. "Charge, charge, charge!" The legion of card guards rushed through the gate where the rest of the Midnight Faction was waiting for them. The faction soldiers fired their blasters through the gateway, causing utter devastation amidst the ranks of the attacking royal guards, but still the queen's soldiers pushed forward. They forced their way upon the ramparts, fighting every faction soldier and Heartless that dared to appear before them.

"We're almost to that dimensional gate!" Donald shouted.

"Keep pushing, men!"-

"Riku, we're almost there!" Sora shouted. "Come on you guys! Let's keep going!" By this time, many of the faction soldiers had been either taken prisoner, or were killed. Thus, resistance became less frequent. The only place where intense fighting still resided was in the palace of the Queen of Hearts.

The KH team and their card allies continued to force their way onto the stone sentinel where the massive gate had been constructed.

"There it is!" Goofy shouted. "Just a few more feet!"

"It's an open road to victory!" Donald implied.

But just as he had uttered those words, who was to appear before the gate? None other than General Venti himself who stood at ease with what looked like a massive sword upon his back.

"I must commend you." The General uttered. "But I can't allow you to go any further than this."

"Is that so?" Sora said, joining the KH team as they neared the structure. "And how do you intend to stop all of us at once."

"I have my ways." There was a sudden change in attitude as the general unleashed his full strength. The energy that the key bearers felt was something that had not been encountered since the arrival of Triiken back on Destiny Island. It immediately sent chills down their spines.

"This energy." Riku uttered. "It's greater than I had expected."

"By far." Donald added.

"I take back my earlier comment." Sora said.

"Now behold the power of General Venti!" There was a sudden flash of light that nearly blinded the attackers. When the light faded, the KH team looked to find what looked like an energy bubble completely surrounding the gate. "Now you have no choice, but to fight me. In order to break that energy shield, you'll have to defeat me. And I can tell you this much. I don't go down that easily." The General unleashed the massive blade on his back. "This is my little friend, which is called the Iron blade."

"What the heck kind of sword is that? It's so big."-

"Whatever kind of sword it is, it'll have no chance against us." Riku said. "For one thing, that massive blade is only good in two ways, attacking downward, or to the side. And the margin to which he changes his attack is so big, there has to be at least three seconds for him to switch from a downward slash to a side slash. So if we continuously attack him from an upward angle, then he won't be able to reach us."

"I gotcha."-

The key bearers went in for the attack. But as they did, they were in for another surprise. As Sora attempted an attack from above, knowing that the blade couldn't be used effectively being swung upward, it appeared the assumption that both he and Riku had concluded to was wrong. General Venti unleashed the sword and swung if upward as if there was no strain to doing so. Sora, stunned by the outcome, evaded as soon as he could. He dodged out of the way, and landed next to Riku. He looked down to see that his shirt had been cut, but no blood seeped from any wound on his chest itself.

"Nice try." Venti chuckled, "However, the battle's not gonna be a simple as you thought it would be."

"Hey, Riku," Sora uttered, angrily, "I thought you said that he couldn't swing that sword upward."

"I assumed that the bulk of that sword would prevent that type of maneuver due to its excessively large size." Riku implied. "But that attack that he just did baffles all logic. No can lift a sword that big in an upward movement like that without showing a sign of strain, but for some reason, he's managed to do such a thing. There was no opening."

"So that's what you were trying to do?" Venti chuckled. "Just because this sword is big doesn't mean that it can't be maneuvered efficiently. The reason is because this sword consists mostly of size and less mass. The sword is a basic triangular design and constructed of the lightest, yet strongest alloy material thus, making it strong and swift at the same time. To add, I have concentrated most of the power around my arms. Continuously training with excessively heavy weights to build up the power in my upper body, I have perfected a way to use this massive sword to my every advantage."

"Well, now what do we do?" Sora asked.

"I don't know."-

"Let's just use our elemental attacks and be done with him."-

"I'd like to agree with you there. To attack him at long range would be easy. But I don't think they'll have much of an effect against this guy. The chi within his body is like Lu Bu's, or Triiken's. And that means that whatever element we throw at him, it's just gonna bounce off of him."-

"So in other words," Donald uttered, "You have no plan."

"Now, now, Donald," Goofy implied, "It takes a while to think."

"In your case, that's a tremendous foot indeed."-

"Enough standing around!" Venti shouted. He suddenly began to charge. "This time, I won't hesitate to kill you!"

"He's coming!" Sora cried. The four evaded as the massive sword swung down upon them. With such ferocity and such power, Venti swung the sword about like it was nothing. His massive weapon turned and twisted along with his body, making the sword almost like an attachment of himself. The KH team did their best to evade the blade and attempt a strike the general.

"This guy's like a panzer tank!" Sora shouted. He powered up. "Alright you, let's see how you like this!" Sora powered up and unleashed the Tundra Canister against the General.

"You idiot," Venti chuckled. "Elemental attacks won't work on me!" He threw his word out in front of him and repelled the shattering ice shards away from him. The raining ice fell upon the legions of cards and heartless down below, immobilizing some of them.

"Then try this one on!" Sora deployed the infamous Twister Strike and a powerful tornado descended upon the general. But the general only chuckled. Then, using his word, he slashed downward, rupturing the spinning force of the twister, cutting it in half. "He cut my twister in half."

"This guy is in completely different class." Riku uttered, sweat appearing at his temples. "No matter, we'll take down eventually." Sora stood vigilant next to Riku.

"What do we do now, Riku? Should I unleash the rage, or Saiyan Devotion?"-

"No. Though this battle has been going on for ten minutes, we have to maintain our strength. We don't know what further tricks he may have up his sleeve."-

"This time, you're not gonna be evading anything!" Venti shouted. He lunged forward with all his strength, slashing and thrusting the massive sword about, hoping to strike at the key bearers. But at every last minute, Riku and Sora managed to elude the sharpness of the blade.

"That's his weakness…" Riku thought to himself. After five minutes of evading, Riku and Sora landed safely away from Venti. "I realize his weakness now."

"You know his weakness?" Sora asked.

"Though he shows no pause in using that sword, the bulk of the sword still manages to limit some of his movements. The reason is because, despite his swiftness, the sword itself only allows him so much room to swing. And because it's so big, the sword's own movements can be seen no matter how fast the user goes. The only weakness he seems to have diminished is being able swing the sword upward. All the other limitations seem to have remained. Despite what he said about conditioning his own body, that in itself may be true. But all that training doesn't change the nature of the sword itself. A sword of massive size will always have that one weakness. It'll always be too slow to be used effectively."

"Then, how do you explain the rip on my shirt!"-

"That was due only to your own stupidity."-

"Excuse me? You were the one who said that he couldn't swing that monstrosity upward!"-

"Well, at least now we know that that's the only weakness he's done away with."-

"So what's your plan?"-

"We have to somehow get in close where he can't use that sword effectively. So, I will use shadow decoys to distract him and cause an opening. Then, when he's open, you go in for the kill."-

"I understand."-

"Goofy, Donald, you make with our back up just in case. Goofy, if Sora fails, I want you to use the strongest shield you have try to block the swinging sword. Donald, I want you to stand by and provide us with Curaga just in case."-

"I gotcha." Goofy implied.

"Right." Donald added.

"Then, let's got for it!" Sora shouted.

Riku went in for the first attack. Venti, seeing his foe charging head on swung his massive sword the key bearer. But as he did, he realized that what he struck was a mere decoy. Riku suddenly appeared again to Venti's side. Venti hastily swung his sword in the direction where Riku was closing in, but again it was another decoy he struck.

"Stop fooling around fight me right!" the general roared. Riku appeared again, this time from above. Venti swung it upward with little strain and a lot of anger and struck Riku, but once more, it was a mere decoy. "You're making me mad!"

"Not good for you." Riku implied. "You're getting emotional. The more emotional you become, the more blinding the rage, and the less focused you are. Lu Bu made that mistake and I made that mistake, which is the reason why we lost our battles many years ago."-

"Shut your yapping! I don't care about the morals of your past! It is of no concern to me!"-

"And that is the reason why you will never be able to win." Riku appeared again, attacking from a lower angle. "You might have mastered the fighting techniques of that massive sword, but your own abilities are still undisciplined. And that is why you will never improve beyond mere techniques."

"If you were a real warrior, you'd stay put and fight me head on!"-

"Fine, then I'll fight you!" a voice shouted. Venti turned to see Sora lunging in at an alarming pace. Venti swung the sword, but as he did, Goofy intervened, using the defender to block it. At the same time, Donald used his Stopga spell to temporarily freeze the general in place. Not too far after, Sora fired Tundra Canister at point black range into the general, locking him in a tomb of ice. Then, using the keyblade, he sliced straight through. There was a pause for a moment as Sora skidded on the ground opposite the general.

"It's over…" Riku uttered, appeared before the general. The ice tomb broke around the commander.

"This…this…cannot be…" Venti uttered, collapsing to the ground. "My lord…fellow generals…I have failed you…" The general fell to the ground, never to stand after that.

"Well, that went well enough." The shield around the gate collapsed with the general, leaving the gate itself vulnerable to the KH team. "Now, to destroy this thing." Riku walked to the panel of the gate, which was unguarded by an access code and pressed the little red, self-destruct button as he did to the previous gate six years earlier at Hollow Bastion. Immediately, the gate collapsed with a great thunderous moan and the great ring itself shattered into millions of useless shards. The KH team watched as they saw the structure fall to its foundations. With the collapse of the inter-dimensional gate, the threat within Wonderland had ended. There was a great cheer that erupted from the masses of liberated citizens upon the ruins and carnage of the battlefield.

"Congratulations my boys!" the king of hearts chuckled as he went to shake the hands of the KH team members. "You have once again brought peace back to Wonderland. Now, with the fall of the faction, we have nothing to fear and our everyday lives can go on as they did before. With our deepest gratitude, we thank you for what you have done for us."-

"There's no need to thank us." Riku said. "You should thank yourselves for having the courage to stand up to the might of the Midnight Faction."

"You boys were absolutely amazing!" the mad hatter chuckled.

"Quite superb in battle!" added the March hare. "You did splendidly!"

"Ah, it was nothing." Sora said.

"You boys have saved our kingdom!" the queen of hearts cried, picking Riku and Sora up and squeezing them.

"Thank you for that…gesture…" Riku uttered, straining his face.

"Can't…breathe…" Sora implied. "Suffocating…"

"My dear, please." The king uttered. "The last thing these boys need are broken backs." The queen let them down, leaving Riku and Sora with sore backs.

"Well, at least we know that the faction won't cause further trouble here." Riku implied. But as he had finished that statement, something had caught his attention. He felt a presence still about in the area. In fact, it was a presence that was very close to them. Despite the cheering and boasting, Riku's senses could not help notice this dark presence.

"What's the matter Riku?" Sora asked.

"There's an ominous presence still here…"-

Sure enough, the boasting and cheering the victorious was short lived as the sky grew dark with black clouds and lightning and thunder began to hail down upon the small kingdom.

"What is happening?" the king of hearts uttered.

"A storm?" Goofy implied.

"That's no storm." Riku said. He turned to see a figure standing at the opposite side of the stone sentinel. This figure was dressed in a black overcoat with red lining under the cape and the coat itself. There were steel shoulder guards worn underneath the elbow length cape and he wore long white gauntlets. A large saber was buckled by a white strap that was slung over his right shoulder. Upon that shoulder strap was the familiar symbol of the Midnight faction. Under the coat was a black frock with barred lining, with a brass button placed upon the axis of each intertwining line. He wore a white belt with a brass belt buckle that also bore the symbol of the faction.

"Who is that?" Sora asked.

"I never would have thought that you would involve yourself in otherworld issues again, Child of Darkness." The figure said.

"So are you the mastermind behind all of this?"-

"I am."-

"So you must be…" Sora uttered.

"That is correct, young Sora. I am the Phantom Lord. However, you may address me as Lord Sirius Viicous."-

"Sirius Viicous…"-

"Then, tell me this, Sirius Viicous," Riku shouted, "What is it that you have against me? General Venti had revealed to me that I was the only one to be executed. Is there something about me that you despise!"

"More so than you think." Sirius replied. "As long as you are alive, I will never realize my dream. To have a tainted soul like you existing in this universe can only spell disaster for all who come in contact with you."

"So you want to get rid of me?" Riku drew out his keyblade. "Well, here's your chance."

"Very well then…" Sirius drew out his sword. "Let us end our little dispute here and now." The two stood vigilant towards each other. Suddenly, Riku lunged forward against the Phantom Lord. But as he did, several other entities emerged from out of nowhere and blocked the way of the charging key bearer.

"Hold it right there!" one of the individuals shouted, deploying a twin swords before him.

"Riku!" Sora cried, rushing to aid his friend.

"In order to get to Lord Sirius Viicous, you'll have to go through us first."-

"What is the meaning of this?" Sirius uttered.

"My lord." One of his commanders said landing by his side.

"General Gryphon."-

"You must not fight, my lord."-

"This whelp is nothing compared to me."-

"Even so, you still have our other goals to achieve. There will be more time for personal revenge. Besides, that boy has not the experience of battle like you, my lord. You were born to fight."-

"I guess you are right." Sirius looked at Riku, who was being held back and guarded by Sora, Goofy, and Donald. "I have greater things to contend with than just fiddling with you, boy. So our little match will have to wait."

"You running!" Riku shouted.

"Now is not the time. Besides, I already know that my strength dwarfs yours by far. You wouldn't stand a chance against me. To give me a more decent challenge, I will give you time to train."-

"What are you talking about! You're not stronger than I am!"-

"You delude yourself, boy. You know how to sense power levels, so you know the truth."-

"He's right…" Riku thought to himself. "His power far exceeds my own so trying to fight him now would only assure my own death. Even if I was to fuse with Sora and we both use our full strength, there would be no way to beat this guy. He's in a completely different class than us."-

"Let us play a little game."-

"What do you mean a game?" Sora asked.

"It's quite simple." Sirius uttered. "You must face the five trials in order reach your two main goals."

"And what would those trials be?" Riku asked.

"The five trials are standing before you." He pointed to the five individuals standing before him. "These men standing here are known as the five Blade Generals, each one mastering a certain fighting style and weapon. General Knives, General Dagger, General Bayonet, General Saber, and General Scimitar, they will be the opponents you face. If you manage to defeat all five of them, you would have achieved one of your two goals."-

"You say we have two goals to achieve." Sora implied. "What's the second one?"

"One of your goals is to battle me after defeating the five Blade Generals. The Second goal is to rescue them." Sirius pulled out a holographic transmitter, and unleashed the images of King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Daisy.

"Oh no! King Mickey!"

"And Queen Minnie too!" Goofy implied.

"Daisy!" Donald shouted as he saw the image of his love.

"Defeat the five Blade Generals and you can save these three from certain death." Sirius chuckled. "However, you must defeat all five Blade Generals in order to rescue them. No less than that. To add, like the Cavendish Shinobis before you, each of the Blade Generals will carry an information disk that gives the whereabouts of the others, as well as a small piece of a puzzle that'll help unlock the special seal to where the King and Queen are being held. In other words, you can't rescue them from their prison without achieving all five pieces. Unfortunately, I have no intention to giving you a starting clue to where the first of these five men before you will be located. That's up to you to find out."

"You sick son of a…" Riku uttered.

"You can insult me all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that these three are still in our custody. If you attempt to fight me before defeating the Five Blade Generals, then those generals remaining will carry out with the execution of the king and his queen. Then all your efforts to track down the five would have been a complete waste of time. So play your cards right if you want to save lives." Sirius and his minions retreated from the palace. "I'll be waiting for you, Child of Darkness. Or should I say Noctin Tilandir."

With that, the Phantom Lord and his minions vanished from sight.

"What do we do now?" Sora asked.

"The only thing we can do." Riku implied. "We'll have to face the five Blade Generals and rescue King Mickey."

"You would do that for us?" Goofy asked.

"I can never allow my friends to be placed in such a position and I not do anything about it. You have done so much for me in the past; I should do the same in return." Riku raised his keyblade in the air. "And when they are safely back in our hands, I will defeat Sirius Viicous and send him back into the pit of darkness to which he came."-

"And I'll be at your side, Riku!" Sora shouted, raising his blade as well.

"Me too!" Donald added, raising his staff.

"Me three!" Goofy chuckled, raising his shield.

Meanwhile, back in the Lotus forest, Lord Sirius Viicous and his minions returned to the gummi ship that transported them there. As Sirius boarded, General Gryphon soon followed humbly behind.

"Pardon me, your Excellency." He uttered.

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

"If I may speak freely of my opinion, my lord, do you think it a wise decision to tell Riku and Sora of King Mickey and his queen?"-

"They will do whatever necessary to rescue them. As a result, they will be going after the five Blade Generals. When they finally defeat the five, they will go to rescue King Mickey. But by the time that happens, our own plans would've succeeded. This entire trial is to stall the KH team. I've placed the five Blade Generals in worlds that are utterly insignificant to us. That way, the KH team will be lured away from the key worlds of my operations."-

"But what if they decide to sidetrack away from fighting the Generals?"-

"They won't. I could see the hatred burning in Riku's eyes. He wants to fight me so badly. The least I could do is to oblige him."-

"But wouldn't it have been better for you to just deal with him there and then. If you would've taken him out when you had the chance, then you would have carried out with his execution and he would no longer be a threat to us. To add, they wouldn't have been able to seal anymore doors because it takes both Riku and Sora to seal them."-

"I could have ended it all. But to tell you the truth, I didn't want it to end that way."-

"And why is that?"-

"Because I want to see how Riku favors against me in a future battle. I sensed his inner strength and I can assure you that it dwindles in comparison to my own. It wouldn't be any fun trying to kill him when I know he has no chance of winning against me."-

"But why take that chance? Why jeopardize all that we have strived for just for the sake of your own pride?"-

"General Gryphon, does your faith in my strength appear to be wavering?" Gryphon silenced himself soon after. "Now that I think about it, this was the best suggestion I could have made. I right now am so riled up at fighting Riku. I don't know what I was thinking when I said that I wanted him executed prematurely. I forgot how invigorating it would be to fight the true Noctin Tilandir. But in order to achieve the climactic battle between us, I must force him to unleash as much strength as possible. Trying to battle him as he is now would not only be a waste of my time, but I feel that I was given a victory on a silver platter. If I want to show that the Midnight Faction is the ultimate power since the Dark Empire, I must first carve out a reputation for our organization."-

"Still, I would have to say that defeating the key bearers here would be more advantageous."-

"Have you been hearing the publicity we've been getting from the Universal Alliance and the other factions of the former empire? It is mostly negative, if not all negative sentiment. They call the Midnight Faction mere scavengers who have only a history not worth being honored. And I intend to agree with them. But what better way to create a reputation for ourselves then to do something memorable. And killing the key bearers in battle would prove to be the ultimate promotion. The key bearers would strive so hard to stop us, only to be halted by none other than me."-

"But what good is reputation. We've already achieved the reputation for being ruthless and opportunistic. So far, the Midnight Faction has gone unopposed. We've achieved more than even the Red Ribbon Faction and the Arakis Foundation could ever dream about. Are you willing to place all of that in jeopardy?"

"But it's not only the key bearers we have to watch out for. Or have you forgotten that there are others in league with the Alliance who will be trying to stop our progress as well? It would make no difference if we were to kill the key bearers now, or later, those other threats would not go away."-

"But letting them go only increases those threats."-

"Then since this whole thing bothers you this much, then you deal with the key bearers yourself. Use whatever means necessary to stop and kill them. It's not my job to do the dirty work anyway now is it? However, if you fail, then we do things me way."-

"Then I shall bring the heads of Riku and Sora back to you!"-

"Then, I'll expect to see results."-

The gummi ship took off, leaving General Gryphon behind.

"He can go and fight the key bearers if he wants." Sirius thought to himself. "But he'll soon know the cold truth that he is outclassed by them. Besides, the Apocalypse Cannons are mere pebbles compared to the true bulk of our strength. But this rash action, I have a feeling that this fight may be Gryphon's last."

At the same time, back at the battlefield, the soldiers and officers of the Midnight Faction were taken into custody and placed in the same stockades which were used to confine the subjects of the Queen of Hearts. Among those officers was none other than General Venti who had been temporarily knocked out by Sora. Now he was bound and chained.

"I've really hit rock bottom here." He uttered.

"You should be grateful that you still have your life." Sora uttered.

"It would have been better if you just killed me. I've shamed myself, being taken prisoner like this."-

"Quit your belly-aching."-

"Well, we've managed to close one world," Riku explained, "But who knows how many other countless worlds are out there that still need to be sealed. To add, several of those worlds are bearing highly destructive weapons."

"I think it best that we take out the cannons next." Donald implied.

"But what about the Blade Generals?" Goofy asked. "Don't we have to find them too?"

"And where do you propose we start looking?"-

"I have a plan." Riku implied. "The best course of action would be to take out the key weapons of the faction. Perhaps our interference would drive the Blade Generals out of their hiding places so they can try and stop us."

"An excellent plan," a voice suddenly uttered. "However…" The KH team looked to see a familiar face gazing at them.

"Triiken!" Sora shouted.

"What are you doing here?" Riku asked.

"Isn't alright that I am here." Triiken replied. "I am after all the one to give you the vital information that you need."

"And what vital information is it that you have for us?"-

"I had overheard that you plan on destroying the main weapons of the faction am I right, to somehow lure the Blade Generals out of their assigned areas?"-

"What about it?"-

"I would like to ask you if you are willing to have the same result occur like what happened at Halloween Town six years ago? I'm sure you remember what little incident where you had to deactivate the Apocalypse Cannon there?"-

"Yes…" Sora uttered.

"And I'm sure you remember that massive explosion that took place a result?"-

"That's right!" Riku implied, remembering that fatal explosion that destroyed everything within a one, or two mile radius. "Because we tried to deactivate that monster, the results were catastrophic."

"But the explosion you experienced was a mere sideshow. The reason was because that cannon was only in its early developmental stage. The Apocalypse Cannons you will be encountering now are almost on the verge of complete upgrades. That means that without the proper input, the cannon will go into automatic meltdown. As a result, the explosion this time will have an effect three hundred times greater than the one at Halloween Town. The explosion will atomize everything within a three to six hundred mile radius."-

"Oh my God…" Sora uttered.

"So how can we deactivate the cannon permanently?" Riku asked.

"There is one way."-

"And…?"-

"You must retrieve the red information card that deactivates the cannons active power without triggering meltdown. Once you have that data and implemented it into the main control of the cannon, the power generating within the weapon will diminish to one thousandth of it original destructive power, rendering the cannon to become no more effective than a simple siege weapon."-

"So where do we find this card?' Goofy asked.

"One of the Blade Generals holds it for safe keeping." Triiken continued.

"And which of the five is it?" Sora asked.

"None other than General Knives."-

"And where do we find him?" Riku asked.

"You may find him in a new world called Sherwood. He's engaging alongside the royal ministry of that world to help deprive the peasants of their livelihood by raising their taxes. This tax collection is used to provide the Midnight Faction of revenue. In return, Knives gives his protection to the royals."-

"What can you tell us about this General Knives?"-

"He is a master of the double swords. Other than that, he really has no other skills. He's considered to be the pup of the five."-

"So he has the data card we need to get?" Sora asked.

"Precisely." Triiken implied. "However, there is another catch. The card does not work for both cannons."

"Not for both?"-

"As a precaution, the faction had created two separate cards with two separate data inputs. So if, for some reason you did manage to retrieve one card, it would be useless for the other cannon. This maneuver was used as a precaution in case you managed to get your hands on one card."-

"Then tell us who has the second input card?" Donald asked.

"It is General Bayonet and you can find him in the 'Wing Realm'" Triiken said. "He has gone there to oversee development of new mobile doll models to help aid in the faction's process. Defeat those two generals and you will be able to harmlessly deactivate the two cannons without catastrophic results."

"Tell me how you know all this." Sora asked, "Just out of sheer curiosity."

"I have my sources and anonymous tips. Otherwise I would not be acting as a spy within the Alliance."-

"Then it is best that we be on our way." Riku implied.

"But which one do we go after first?" Donald asked.

"It's best that we go after the one that contains the data for the more powerful of the two cannons."-

"But which is the one that carries the data of the more powerful cannons?"-

"I would suggest that the one that's stronger would obtain that info."-

"That's where you are wrong." Triiken implied. "All of the five generals are on equal level. It's their fighting styles that make them seem strong. The point is it doesn't matter which one you decide to fight first. The point is to eliminate one of them."

"So that's your little plan is it!" a voice bellowed out. The team looked to see a figure standing above them on one of the castle towers.

"Who is that?" Goofy wondered.

"Hey, that's the guy who was beside Sirius Viicous before they left." Sora pointed out.

"Who are you!" Riku demanded.

"I am General Gryphon!" the man replied. "I will be the one to halt you in your tracks."

"Is that so?" Sora said. "If you hadn't noticed, the faction has been defeated here. There's nothing that you can do to now!"

"Then you underestimate my abilities!" The General leaped from the tower and landed on the ground. The impact that was made caused the ground to rupture beneath their feet.

"I take that back. This guy isn't going to be as easy to take down as we thought."-


	11. Another Showdown

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Another Showdown**_

The mighty General Gryphon stood vigilant over his enemies. He was a rather tall and monstrous man. He was dressed in black armor with white cape. His face was unlike anything Riku and Sora had ever seen before. He had a dark blue complexion like navy and a black beard upon his face. His eyes were a light orange. And upon his shoulder, he carried a giant stone mace. He glared at the KH team with those intense orange eyes of his, like two lit candles from a burning skull.

"If it's a fight you seek," Riku implied, "Then you've come to the right guys to battle."

"I don't know what it is that His Excellency finds so irritating about you, Riku." Gryphon uttered. "However, I can assure you that I will not allow you, or your friends to proceed any further! There is a grand opportunity before the Midnight Faction and I am not going to let you spoil it for us!"

"But what the faction is doing is wrong." Sora said. "What you guys are doing is for the well being of the faction itself. Not the people that you conquer."

"I order to unify all worlds as one, we must show a clenched fist and cold steel to our enemies and open the way to a new power, the new imperial power!"-

"But what means would you have gained? By subduing people, you only cause hatred and hopes of retribution against you! There will be nothing, but an era of endless chaos and rebellion. People should be allowed to live their lives in any way that they please! But forcing them to do something they don't want to do only causes a sentiment of scorn!"-

"That is why we must show harshness and ruthlessness to these people, so that they will never attempt to raise arms against the faction ever again."-

"For the sake of power and glory," Riku uttered. "You'll never achieve anything with that sort of twisted logic! If there is one thing I know, it's that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is an experience that I have encountered myself and I never want to experience again." There was a silent pause before Riku began to speak again. "You seem all powerful when you have all this strength and hundreds of minions behind you. But strip a person of that and they are no more powerful than you. They are just another individual. I had encountered such a feeling of helplessness after I was stripped of my power and influence. But when I realized that I still had friends out there that cared for me; that was all the power that I needed."

"What you say doesn't matter!" Gryphon shouted. "Friendship and compassion are irrelevant compared to the ultimate goal of total unification. Don't you realize that if we integrate all worlds into one great melting pot, there would be a great amount of diversity? There would be no need for boundaries, or barriers. All people would be as one under the flag of the Midnight Faction."

"But by doing that, you strip people of their own identities as a society. What these people are hoping for is a life of peace. But you take that away by conquering them, subduing them, and exploiting them. And when they try to resist, you attack them mercilessly. Attempting to unify the worlds only brings more pain and suffering to the people who live on those worlds. And as long as they are suffering by the hands of tyrants like you, we will not back down."-

"Anyone who has enough nerve to form an alliance with the Heartless is out of their mind!" Sora implied. "What do you plan to achieve with the Heartless on your side? You'll never be able to obtain such a goal with them at your service!"

"The Heartless are merely a tool to help us further our expansion faster and more efficient." Gryphon continued.

"But by employing the Heartless, you have also become food for them. Rely on the dark powers too much and they will consume your heart!"-

"Not a chance! My heart is too strong to be consumed by the likes of them. Besides, I never rely on the Heartless to fight my battles!"-

"You'd be surprise how vulnerable your heart is…" Riku uttered.

"Now enough of your blathering," Gryphon said, deploying his mace before him. "Talk is cheap compared to taking action. I said that I would kill you two and I will."

"Why can't a person like you listen to reason?" Sora said.

"A person like him never listens to reasons." Triiken interrupted. He stepped forth before the two key bearers. "For ones like him, they need to be taught the hard way in order for the point to be drilled into that thick skull of theirs. So I hope you don't mind, but I will be facing this foe myself."

"But why would you get involved?"-

"I just hate his face that's all." Triiken stepped forward. "I shall be the one to fight you, Gryphon."

"You stay out of my way!" Gryphon demanded. "I have come to fight the key bearers! They are the ones that pose the greatest threat here! Not you! So get out of the way unless you want to die!"

"Me? Die? That's very amusing. You almost sound convincing."-

"Are you mocking me!"-

"Yes, in a way I am provoking you."-

"You mustn't value your life that much then if you have the audacity to confront General Gryphon of the Midnight Faction."-

"You assume too much and you think too highly of yourself." Triiken's mockery began to wear down on the faction general. "Are you just as big a novice as General Venti?"

"I heard that!" Venti shouted as he was being lead to the stockades.

"If there's anyone who thinks too highly of themselves, it's you!" Gryphon said

"Unlike you however, I know the position I'm getting into." Triiken replied.

"Shut up! You irritate me!"-

"Oh am I getting under your skin now? If I irritate you so badly, why don't you come here and force me to shut this hole in my face."-

"That's a very good idea! Then, why don't we start now!"-

"Man!" Sora uttered. "When Triiken gets under your skin, he really gets under your skin."

"Look at that fire in Gryphon's eyes." Riku added.

"He really wants to hurt him doesn't he?" Goofy implied.

"You think!" Donald shouted.

"Now die you ignorant scum!" Gryphon came charging head long with his mace. He swung the massive weapon at Triiken. Triiken at the last minute leaped over the attacking general's head. The mace itself caused a sonic boom due to the incredible amount of speed placed behind it. The KH team could feel the energy and ducked to the ground. The powerful sound wave blew everything within its path away."

"Did you see what I saw?" Sora uttered.

"That guy uses sound waves to cause destruction." Riku implied. "And it's all due to that giant mace. Some how, he's able to distort the air pressure and cause sonic booms."

"Not bad for a guy that's armed with such a bulky weapon."-

"Then again, I've never seen anyone who could do such a thing with such a massive mace. He's definitely not as big a novice as General Venti."-

Gryphon swung the mace so easily as if were a mere extension of his body. The mace posed no real maneuverability limitations, since it was less in length than the sword used by Venti. However, it's mass made it a rather heavy weapon to use. But that posed no problem for General Gryphon who was a master at using such a clumsy weapon.

"Unlike General Venti who thought he had an advantage mastering that massive 20 ft. sword, I have the special ability of causing ruptures in the air pressure around me with the mass of this mace and create powerful sonic booms to battle my opponents." Gryphon chuckled. "Venti thought that he had no weakness whatsoever with a large weapon like that sword to protect him. But he forgot to add one other factor into his equation and that was the length of that sword. Despite being lighter than most other swords, the length itself slowed him down and made even his quickest attacks seem slow and predictable." He continued to battle Triiken for an additional ten minutes. By now the area had been cleared and many of the queen's subjects as well as the KH team watched the intense battle unfold. Every time Gryphon unleashed a sonic boom, they would duck in fear. Gryphon continued his lecture while still fighting. "I however don't have length to make my moves predictable."

"You boast yourself too much and your blathering bores me." Triiken uttered. This caused Gryphon to cringe most hatefully towards his foe. "So far, despite swinging that bumbling monstrosity and causing fatigue upon me with that constant, meaningless chatter, you haven't even managed to cause the slightest bit of damage to me. Perhaps you should change your tactics. Just drop the mace and defeat your enemy by talking them to death with your mindless dribble. It seems to work on me."

"You dare to mock me! I will not have some lowly alliance dog show me up!"-

"Then quit your chatter and hit me with that clumsy weapon of yours."-

"Then die!" Gryphon suddenly leaped into the air and using the power of the mace, he slammed the weapon upon the ground. A burst of energy erupted and spread like a nuclear explosion for a mile, or so. The powerful attack nearly blew all within that one mile away.

"Did you see that?" Riku uttered.

"No, but I felt it." Sora implied, staggering to his feet. "How the heck did he manage to unleash and explosion like that?"

"What a rush." Donald said leaping back to his feet.

"Did someone get the number of that truck?" Goofy uttered.

They gazed upon the battlefield where the confrontation was taking place. There was utter silence upon the battlefield. Gryphon looked around, but there was no sign of Triiken.

"I guess I made quite an impression on him that time." He chuckled. "That fool didn't know what hit him."

"A fool am I?" a voice uttered. Gryphon looked around to see who spoke.

"Where are you! Show yourself!"-

"In my opinion, you are an even bigger novice that General Venti."-

"How dare you! Show yourself and say that to my face if you're not a coward!"

"Just looking at your face makes anyone a coward. You should consider a makeover. Or better yet…plastic surgery."-

"You insolent…show yourself!"-

"You certainly aren't very bright either. You've been looking around for me, but you didn't bother to look up." Gryphon looked up to see Triiken hovering in mid-air.

"But how did he manage to survive that attack at so close a range?"-

"Oh you found me. Congratulations, shall I give you a prize for that?"-

"You will regret mocking me!"-

"So far I've experienced no regrets for making sport of your idiocy." Triiken descended to the ground. "I wonder now if it was worth taking up the challenge with you. So far I am displeased with what I've encountered."

"Then, encounter this then!" Gryphon suddenly lunged forward unexpectedly and at such speed that the human eye could not possible register his movements. He swung the massive mace in front of him. "I will not allow myself to be insulted by a mere policeman of the alliance!" With one great crack, he smashed the mace against the side of Triiken's face. "I don't hear you making any wisecracks now. Hope you liked having your face broken." But Triiken straightened his neck out and crack his jaw. A drip of blood trickled down his face. This sudden twist of events caused Gryphon to stand with a shocked look on his face.

"A mere policeman you said?" Triiken chuckled. "I beg to differ. My reputation is far greater than you yourself know. But you mustn't be familiar with the outside world if you don't know who I am. If you did, you would not have bothered to challenge me from the start."

"How can that be! I slammed the mace across his face with everything I had, but he experiences no severe damage"-

"Did you see that?" Riku uttered.

"His face should have been jelly by now." Goofy implied.

"Triiken took that mace head on," Sora added, "And yet he has no scratch on him."

"This guy is something else." Donald said.

"I'm surprised that he was dubbed only as a mere general by the Dark Empire."-

"You didn't even bother concentrating the energy through your mace this time." Triiken uttered. "That's how you managed to create that power sound wave in the last attack. However, you thought that you had no need to do so when you thought that I was off my guard. But the reality is that I saw that attack coming head on and I could have easily dodged it. However, I decided to hold my ground and allow you to strike me. This way, when the conclusion revealed itself, you would realize that you stood no chance from the start." Triiken wiped the blood from his mouth, with his finger, and flicked it to the ground. "However, you have caused me pain and that is something that I can't allow you to get away with. Now is the time for me to fight back." Triiken suddenly unsheathed his sword.

"You mean all this time," Sora uttered as he watched, "Triiken has been fighting Gryphon with his sword sheathed?"

"He's too cool I think." Riku implied. "He knew that Gryphon never stood a chance against him from the start. But Gryphon must not have the ability to sense power levels."

"As of now, your death has been assured." Triiken uttered.

"Now it is you who talk too much." Gryphon uttered. "I'll be able to break your flimsy little sword with this great mace! And you will soon realize that a mere policeman could never face me and win, no matter how talented they are!"

"After all this time, you still don't realize who I am do you?"-

"I don't know and I really don't care!"-

"You soon will!" Triiken took his stance for the Noctin Exmortin.

"The Noctin Exmortin." Riku uttered.

"Then I guess Triiken plans to finish this fight with one strike." Sora implied.

"Now die, agent of the Alliance!" Gryphon roared as he attacked. "And realize your stupidity for facing me, General Gryphon of the Midnight Faction!" But as soon as he had uttered those words, there was a sudden flash of light and clash of steel. Triiken had suddenly appeared before him; his sword now relaxed at his side. There was a dead pause then.

"You never figured out who I am." Triiken uttered. "So let me tell you the code to which I live by. 'Death before dishonor.'" Suddenly, blood spurted out of a deep wound sunk in the middle between Gryphon's eyes. At the same time, the stone ball of his mace shattered into thousands of pieces.

"Arinario...Triiken…" he uttered before falling dead to the ground. Triiken swung his sword, forcing the blood of the glittering steel of his blade and sheathed it gently into its scabbard.

"Pity, such a waste of talent." He implied.

"That was an intense fight." Sora said as he and the others stepped upon the battlefield.

"He was definitely not as big a novice at Venti is." Riku said.

"But how did you manage to hold your own against him?"-

"That should be more than obvious." Triiken said. "He was weaker, less experienced. And by his tone, he was one who was battling for the sake of progress. That sort of cause is not one to truly motivate one's heart." Triiken began to walk away. "I will sort with the things here. You on the other hand have more pressing matters to attend to."

"Yeah, that's right." Donald said.

"We have to save the king." Goofy added.

"Then, let's be on our way." Riku said.

"Yeah." Sora implied.

"Once again, thank you very much for you help." The king of hearts uttered as he and his queen approached. "We could not have gained our kingdom again if it were not for you gallant efforts."

"There was no trouble at all."-

"Let's get going." Riku said. "More time we waste here, the more time we allow the Midnight Faction to carry out their plans." The KH team took one last gaze before returning back to the rabbit hole to where they had disembarked from the gummi ship.

As they had worked their way back to the gummi ship, Riku had been preoccupied and was rather slow when going back to the gummi. He would always take a second glance back as if he had forgotten something. As he looked back for a second or third time, he felt a hand gently lay itself on his shoulder. He turned to see Sora standing there with a concerned look on his face.

"Riku," he uttered, "You're having one of those nostalgic moments. What's on your mind this time?"

"Sirius Viicous…" Riku replied.

"What about Sirius Viicous?"-

"There's something about him that seems so familiar. Yet, I have no idea where I've picked up his energy before."

"You mean you might actually know who this guy is?"-

"I might, but I can't remember. It may be someone from my past, who has been long forgotten. But if they had been long forgotten, how come this feeling I have is so familiar to me. I had sensed this same feeling for sometime. And when we finally came face to face, that same aura grew more intense. I know that there is some link between us. If only I could remember."-

"Right now, we need to focus on the matter at hand. We have to save King Mickey and Queen Minney."-

"Don't forget about Daisy!" Donald shouted.

"Of course not!" Sora implied. He turned to Riku. "Let's go, Riku. I'm sure you'll find the answer that you're looking for." Riku, unable to speak, only nodded his head and joined the rest of the group to work their way to the next destination. But which world will they save next?


	12. Sherwood

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Sherwood**_

The gummi ship had managed its way to the next realm, where it was said that the first of the five Blade Generals resided. The gummi ship disembarked into the thicket of a dense forest. There was no sign of civilization anywhere. Only the quaint sound of nature echoed about, under the canopy of high oaks. There was the chirping of birds high in the trees, the sound of a nearby stream, and the smell of lavender and wild flowers freely growing in what seemed like a spring mood. Sora inhaled the fresh spring air.

"Nothing like the sound of the great outdoors." He chuckled.

"Don't get too intoxicated over this." Riku said. "We have a mission to fulfill. We have to track down General Knives."

"I wonder where we start" Donald implied. "This is an awfully large forest. I don't think that there's anyone about in the middle of the woods that would be of any use to us."

"Then, it's best that we start searching for any signs of a possible settlement." Sora said. It was at that moment that there was the sound of trumpets bellowing in the air, interrupting the tranquil peace of the forest. It seemed to sound like a royal fanfare.

"You wanted to know if there was any civilization about," Riku said, "then that must be the source." The KH team left behind their gummi ship, locking and securing it before departing. They rushed to where they heard the sound of the trumpets. Sure enough, as they came to the edge of a clearing, there was a dirt road upon the ground and coming of the road were a series of different animals. In the front, an alligator dressed in a red cloak, bearing what looked like the flag of a noble. Following him were a few elephants that blew their trunks like brass horns of royals. Upon their erected trunks, there flew that same symbol, representing someone of high or even royal status. Following close behind was a company of rhino guards. They were dressed in heavy chest armor and carried long staff battle axes at their sides. They marched in unison as if with one soul. Behind that company were four other rhino guards carrying a golden chest that was tightly locked and chained. Following them was a pair of those same trumpeting elephants who drew behind them a gold carriage with red drapery as the interior. And following the carriage were two more companies of those rhino guards with their battle axes erected into the air. They marched like thunder down the road.

"Without a doubt," Riku implied, "That must be nobility, if not royalty."

"Maybe they can tell us where we can find the next town." Sora said.

"Don't rush in too hastily. Don't you remember what Triiken said? The royals of this world are helping the Midnight Faction increase their revenue by exploiting the rest of the population. And I don't know about you, but that escort must be in league with the Midnight Faction."-

"What should we do then?" Goofy asked.

"We stay out of sight, away from this road and observe from a distance."-

"Riku's right. We should not go in without knowing the intensions of our enemies." Sora agreed. The KH team retreated to the thicket and observed as the party went by.

But as they observed, two gypsy fortune tellers emerged on the scene. One was rather short and scrawny. The other was large and rather plump.

"Oo-de-lally!" the smaller one shouted. "Oo-de-lally! Fortune tellers!"

"Fortune's forecasts, lucky charms!" the fatter one added.

"Get the dope on your horoscope!"-

"Who are those two?" Donald wondered.

"Fortune tellers." Goofy implied.

"Hey Riku," Sora said, "maybe we can get those two fortune tellers to see if we're gonna win or not."

"Don't tell me that you actually believe in all that mumbo jumbo." Riku replied.

"It's fairly possible though."-

But just as he had finished this statement, a head suddenly appeared out of the golden carriage. It was a royal due to the crown atop his head. He was a lion, a rather young and ignorant one at that. It was none other than the venerable and phony king of England, Prince John.

"Fortune tellers!" he chuckled. "How droll! Stop the coach!"

Soon after, a serpent dressed in a miniature cape and hat emerged poked his head out of the carriage. It was Prince John's closest advisor, Sir Hiss. He had a suspicious look on his face, not trusting the two gypsies that appeared on the scene.

"Sire, sire," he uttered, "they may be bandits."

"Oh poppycock! Female bandits, what next? Rubbish." He waved to the two gypsies. "Come forward my dear ladies." The two giddily approached the carriage. John stretched forth his hands, revealing rings with exceptionally large stones upon his fingers. "My dears, you have permission to kiss the royal hands whichever you like." The two gypsies' eyes grew big. The small one grabbed one hand and quickly slid the ring off the king's hand.

"How very gracious of you, sire," the smaller of the two gypsies uttered, "and generous."

"Sire, sire!" Hiss shouted. His slithery tongue tickling the inside of John's ear. Prince John threw his finger in his ear.

"Hiss," John said, "stop hissing in my ear."

Sure enough, the fatter of the two gypsy women kissed John's other finger, taking the stones of the rings with each pucker. Hiss saw this point blank and warned his majesty. But John was too wrapped up in his own superiority to realize what was really going on.

"Did you see?" Hiss cried, his slithery tongue entering John's ear again. "Did you see!" John dug his finger into his ear. He then grabbed Hiss by the throat.

"Hiss!" he roared. "You've hissed your last!" He threw the serpent in a basket and flopped onto the lid. "Suspicious snake."

"Masterfully done, Your Excellency." The smaller of the two gypsies said, as she entered the carriage and closed the drapes. Meanwhile, the fat one meandered around the carriage, listening to their conversation. It was then that she took out a round glass orb with a few fireflies buzzing about inside.

"Alright you little fireflies." The fat gypsy uttered, hanging the glass sphere on a string attached to a stick. "Glow babies, glow."

"Those two are nothing, but a couple of frauds!" Sora implied.

"It's just like bandits stealing from a royal." Riku added. "But I think that fat prince needs to get ripped off. He's too high and mighty for his own good."

"Hey! Look at what that fat one's doing next!" The KH team saw as the fat gypsy managed to slip unnoticed passed the guards and cut a hold at the bottom of the golden chest. A great deal of gold coins came pouring out from under the chest and the gypsy let the currency spill into her blouse. Soon after, the small gypsy emerged from the carriage, wearing the red satin robe of a noble. There were two large sacks of what looked like gold in her hands. The two scurried off into the woods. The minute the prince threw open the drapes to his carriage, John was in his Johns. He looked to see himself deprived of all clothing, not including his long, thermal underwear, and the two gypsies scurrying away.

"Robbed! He cried. "I've been robbed! Hiss, you're never around when I need you!" Hiss managed to free himself from the basket and approached John. "Eh…I've been robbed."

"Of course you've been robbed!"-

"Oo-de-lally, Oo-de-lally!" the small gypsy cried.

"Fortune's forecasts, lucky charms!" the fat one cried.

"After them, you fools!" Prince John ordered. Immediately, the guards began to take chase.

"It looks like those two gypsies are running." Sora said.

"Yeah," Donald uttered, "And their coming straight for us!" The KH team realized that they were in the path of the fugitive gypsies.

"Watch out!" the smaller of the two shouted.

"Gain way!" Goofy cried. But it was too late, both of the gypsies managed to trip over the KH team. Gold coins flew into the air and landed on the ground. Both parties rubbed their craniums and gazed about.

"Didn't we tell you to move!" the smaller gypsy said with a deep voice. The disguise had been knocked off and the head of a male fox was revealed.

"You…you're not a woman." Sora uttered. "You're a…a guy."

"Of course I'm not a woman. This plan was going well until you pummeled into us!"

"C'mon Rob!" the larger of the two said. "We gotta go. Let's pick up what we can of the gold and skedaddle!" The two scurried to pick up what gold coins they could.

"There they are!" one of the rhino guards shouted. "And they have accomplices!"

"Us?" Donald uttered. "Accomplices?"

"Well, it looks like we're all in the same boat now." Sora implied.

"I'll draw their attention." Riku said. He jumped up to face the oncoming guards.

"Riku, are you crazy, or something! Get back here!"-

"These guys are easy pickings. I can take care of them no sweat!"-

"Man…"-

"One of them is getting away!" the guard shouted. "Catch him!" Riku, using Darkness Decoys, created several images of himself and had them scatter about the area, confusing the guards into different directions. "They're running back to the road!"

"Don't let them get away!" another guard cried.

"Well, that'll stall for time." Sora implied.

"OK, Rob," the larger of the two bandits uttered, "Let's get going."

"Right." The small one replied.

"Wait!" Sora said. "We're coming with you."

"Come with us?"-

"These guys already think that we're bandits, so trying to negotiate would be out of the question."-

"So be it. Follow us then into the thicket of the forest."-

"Riku, we're going with them!"-

"Way ahead of you!" Riku chuckled, as he appeared ahead of Sora.

"I really hate it when he does that."-

"Let's get going." Donald shouted. The four went sprawling after the two bandits. In the meantime, Prince John's guards rushed back to where their master awaited them.

"Well, what is the meaning of this!" Prince John scowled. "Not only do you all run off leaving me completely unprotected, but now you have the audacity to come back here empty handed?"

"But Sire," the captain of the guards said, "they managed to get away by running into the darkness of the forest. To make things worse, they had what seemed like hundreds of men under their wing."

"Hundreds you say?"-

"Our men were trying to trek them down, but it was if they were chasing mere shadows."-

"Shadows?"-

"What's going on here?" a voice shouted out. Prince John looked to see a band of Horse men approaching at quick pace. Upon the leading horse was none other than General Knives. The general was of average height; about 5 ft. 9 in. tall. He had long flowing blond hair in the shape of a ponytail. He wore a distinguishable red trench coat seemingly patterned in an early 19th century fashion. Beneath it was a glimmering armored chest piece. Accompanying General Knives was the Sheriff of Nottingham as well as soldiers of his staff. "And why are you indecent, your majesty."

"Bandits ran off with the gold, General." John implied, trying to conceal his long johns. "As well as my wardrobe."

"Bandits!"-

"They came in dressed as fortune tellers and conned me into believing that they could see my future. Foolishly, I accepted them and they ran off with my gold."-

"You mean my gold."-

"Could it have been Robin Hood?" The sheriff uttered.

"Without a doubt!" Prince John replied.

"I tried to warn you, Sire." Hiss said.

"Silence you…!"-

"Confound that Robin Hood!" The sheriff said. "He's always causing trouble for us."

"I take it that this Robin Hood has notorious reputation for being a master thief then?" General Knives implied.

"He's one of the best I think." Prince John said. "He's always managed to elude us."

"Then, I shall send in the best of my men to trek him down."-

"Believe me, we've tried that. But it seems as if they just disappear into the forest every time we're hot on their trail."-

"Well, perhaps you can some how lure him out." General Knives dismounted his horse. "We'll continue back to the castle. Meanwhile, on the way, why don't you inform me on the back ground of this Robin Hood? Is there anything that he may find of interest, or great value?"-

"We'll um…"-

The party continued on their way back to castle.

Meanwhile, the KH team followed the two bandits behind a raging waterfall into a hidden nook which acted as their hide out. The two undressed themselves out of their dressed and back into their green wardrobe.

"At least we managed to get away with this gold." The larger bandit implied.

"I agree." The smaller of the two added. "If it wasn't for these young men helping us, we would have been caught for sure." He walked up to Riku and Sora and shook their hands. "Thank you for helping us."

"Who are you exactly?" Sora asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Robin Hood. And my large companion next to me is my closest friend and ally, Little John."-

"Little?"-

"You're not the first one to make that mistake, kid." Little John chuckled. "Don't let the name fool you. In real life, I'm really big."

"I'm Sora. And these are my friends, Riku, Donald, and Goofy."-

"It's a pleasure." Robin Hood implied.

"So tell us what you two are planning to do with that gold?" Riku asked.

"What we intend to do is distribute it back to the poor in Nottingham. You see, Prince John has been burdening the people with heavy payments of taxes. Many of these simple folk are only given so much for their hard work, but are expected to pay twice of what they've earned. Because of this, many of the people can't even afford to feed their families, or clothe their children due to the high prices in taxes. Those who couldn't pay lost everything they owned, or were sent to jail. That is why we steal the money from Prince John, so as to give it back to the people."-

"Prince John's just the phony king of England." Little John implied.

"When you say phony King of England, do you mean he's just filling in for someone else?" Riku asked.

"Our true king, King Richard the Lion Heart," Robin explained, "Has gone off to fight in the crusades. His halfwit brother now abuses the power of royalty for his own amusement."

"To add," Little John said, "he's almost impossible to oppose now ever since he allied with that general."

"General?" Donald asked.

"Yeah, he's one of those generals in charge of what looks like a mercenary group. His men marching around in those black uniforms."-

"Black uniforms?" Goofy said.

"He also has shadows for soldiers."-

"Shadows?"-

"Heartless…" Sora whispered.

"Do you remember his name?" Robin Hood said. "Prince John said it once back in Nottingham."

"I think it was something like knives, or something." Little John replied.

"General Knives!" Sora said.

"Then it is him." Riku implied.

"You two know him?" Little John asked.

"He's the reason we've come in the first place." Sora said. "He is one of the five Blade Generals."

"Blade Generals?"-

"Five powerful commanders of the Midnight Faction. What he's trying to do is collect revenue for the Midnight Faction and he's using Prince John as his pawn."-

"He's collecting revenue?"-

"Why do you think Prince John is burdening the people with such high taxes?" Riku said. "He's using the people to pay for the faction's funding."

"In exchange, Prince John has gained a powerful ally." Robin said. "And he'll have no trouble seizing the throne itself."

"Then this will work out well for both of us. You want to stop Prince John from seizing control and we need to stop the faction from gaining revenue here. So the best course of action would be to help one another."-

"What do you propose we do?" Sora asked.

"We have to somehow create a rift between them and break up their alliance. Only when we break their alliance do we have a chance of winning this. Now, seeing Prince John, he doesn't seem like one who marches into battle first, so he'll be easy to subdue. But it is General Knives we have to put an end to. When we defeat him, not only do we gain the necessary data, but we also manage to save this world in the process."-

"That's sounds good!" Donald said.

"That sounds great!" Goofy added.

"That sounds like an excellent plan!" Sora chuckled. But as he finished his statement, there was a loud rumble from his stomach. "But first, you think I can have a little something to snack on."

"Sora, you're hopeless." Riku said with as smile, placing his arm around his best friend. "I guess there's no use doing anything on empty stomachs."

"Then let's pull out some grub." Little John implied. There was a good laugh amongst the group.

Back at the castle, General Knives joined with Prince John, Sir Hiss, and the Sheriff in a private meeting in the prince's counting room. He poured a brandy into four separate baubles and gave them to Prince John and his two well trusted subordinates. He then sat down with them.

"Now tell me all you know about this Robin Hood." Knives implied. "I want to know all the information you have regarding this elusive individual."

"I can tell you this much." Prince John replied. "Robin Hood is one of the craftiest thieves ever to roam about the English countryside. He is also considered to be the best archer in the land."

"An archer you say?"-

"Yes. And we have attempted to do all in our power to try and find him. He has been looting the parties that carry my taxes and your revenue."-

"He claims to give it back to the poor." The Sheriff added. "I believe that this rumor is true. The reason why is because no matter how heavy the taxes, some of the people manage to have extra coins on them. Go figure."

"For years I have been trying to catch Robin Hood and march him to the gallows." Prince John said again. "But I never manage to find him."

"Perhaps the best course of action would be to lure him to us somehow." General Knives instructed.

"How are we to do that though?" Sir Hiss asked.

"You say that he is the best archer in the land. Well, the best course of action would be to oblige him on his title. You must throw a public event and invite the greatest archers in the land. Once he hears word of this, Robin Hood will not be able to resist the temptation of participating. He'll be like the pike lured to the bait of a fisherman's hook."-

"But how do you know that Robin Hood will be lured into the trap. Even he wouldn't dare to chance being discovered just for the sake of proving his archery skills." Prince John implied.

"I can assure you that a man like that has his pride to worry about. He'll make an appearance. And without a doubt, he will come disguised. However, the detail of his disguise cannot hide his eye for targeting a bull's eye in the absolute center. I can assure you that the one who emerges victorious in this archery contest will be Robin Hood."-

It was at that moment a young woman entered the chamber.

"My Lord." She uttered. "I take leave to my quarters."

"Very well, my dear." Prince John implied. "I shall see you in the morning." The young woman curtsied and withdrew from the room. For that brief moment, this young vixen had caught the eye of General Knives.

"That young fox," he uttered, "who is she?"

"That is Maid Marian. She is staying here at the palace for a temporary period to make appearances to the people. We royals must show good image at times of turmoil you know."-

"Anything significant about her?"-

"Nothing out the usual, General." General Knives stood up and walked to the door.

"I shall return." General Knives walked out of the room. He quietly went down the hall, to the door of Maid Marian. The door was slightly ajar and he peeked in. There, he saw Marian dancing about. In the room with her was her helpful hand, Lady Kluck keeping her company.

"Aw me," Lady Kluck uttered, as she knitted yarn into the form of a blanket, "Young love. Oh, it's a grand thing."

"Surely he must know how much I still love him." Marian said, opening door of her wardrobe cabinet, revealing the wanted poster of Robin Hood. She looked at it with great passion.

"But of course my dear. Believe me my dear some day soon, your uncle, King Richard, will have an outlaw for an in-law."

"But when?"-

"Patience my dear, patience. Remember absence makes the heart grow fonder."-

"Of forgetful. I've been away so long. What if he's forgotten all about me?"-

"Oh you'd be surprised, my dear, how much such a loyal heart yearns for a familiar face."-

This conversation between Marian and Lady Cluck was all too clear to the general who at that moment thought of a perfect plan. He meandered back to the counting room where Prince John, Sir Hiss, and the sheriff were still sipping away at their brandy.

"I was wondering where you went off to." Prince John implied. "I must enlighten you on what we were discussing in your absence. Now just suppose that there is an archer out there that we don't know of, who has skills that even exceed Robin Hood's. What if that person were to win? We couldn't just assume that that was Robin Hood in a simple disguise could we?"

"If you're going to bring up an alternative plan," General Knives insisted, "Then I have a full proof strategy that is sure to lure the fox out of his layer. What have you decided on as the reward to be given to the winner?"

"I was thinking of giving the winner a golden arrow, forged by fifty of the purest gold coins within this counting room."-

"How about a consolation prize to add to that."-

"What is it that you had in mind?"-

"Tell me what Maid Marian's reputation is, other than being compassionate and being a royal."-

"She has a reputation for being one of the prettiest young women throughout England."-

"Then I suggest that we offer her as that consolation prize."-

"What! A royal being given to a mere peasant!"-

"No, just a kiss to the winner."-

"That's rather interesting." Prince John stood up. "Then it shall be declared that the winner of the championship archery contest shall receive the golden arrow and a kiss from the lovely Maid Marian."

"Well, that's in it for me." The Sheriff uttered, standing up with a love gaze in his eyes. "If there's a kiss an a little bit of gold in it all, then count me in." The sheriff dashed out of the room. "I better go tend to my bow!"

"That poor man has no chance whatsoever."-

"And how will Maid Marian's involvement in this help lure out Robin Hood?" Prince John asked.

"Not even he can put down being kissed by such beauty." General Knives implied.

"I suppose you are right."-

"Besides," Knives thought to himself, "knowing Robin Hood, if his heart is as loyal to Maid Marian as earlier stated, then he would do all in his power to prevent anything bad from happening to her. He will become reckless and hope to save her. And when that happens, the infamous, elusive bandit will finally be captured."

At this same time, Robin Hood and Little John were attending to the KH team, keeping them as comfortable as possible. Robin was responsible for cooking a thick stew. He sat near the pot stirring away. But at this time, he seemed rather odd, humming a sweet tune with the look of lightheadedness on his face. Little John on the other hand, wearing a white apron, was busy hanging the laundry. Sora and Riku sat down near a large boulder. Goofy and Donald polished their weapons near a large oak tree.

"Man," Sora uttered, his stomach rumbling, "I'm getting really hungry."

"Well, it's been a while since we've eaten." Riku added. "We could all use a little nourishment right now."

"Don't worry," Little John chuckled, as he hung up a shirt, "Supper is almost ready." He turned to Robin Hood who still stirred away at the stew and hummed. "Hey Rob, how's that grub coming man, we're starved." There was no answer as Robin continued to stir away. "Rob? Robin? Hello?" There was still no reply. Finally, Little John had to shout out. "Hey!"

"Hey what?" Robin Hood muttered, snapping out of his daze, "What did you say?"

"Oh forget it. Your mind is not of food. You're thinking about someone with long eyelashes and you smell their sweet perfume." However, the aroma that lingered was not that of sweet perfume. Instead, it was the strong, irritable smell of an overcooked meal. Little John began to cough as the aroma lingered in the air.

"Oh, the soup's boiling over!"-

"You're burning the chow!" Little John took the cauldron pot off the fire and placed it on a rock to cool.

"What happened?" Sora asked. "Did the food burn?"

"Is everyone alright?" Goofy said as he and Donald ran to see what was going on.

"Well, the food was just a little overdone." Riku implied as he inspected the contents within the pot.

"I'm sorry, Johnny." Robin Hood said humbly. "I guess I was just thinking about Maid Marian again."

"Maid Marian?" Donald asked.

"Who's Maid Marian?" Sora asked.

"Only the one woman that old Rob here has fallen head over heals for." Little John explained. "Every time, he thinks of her he acts like his head is up in the clouds."

"She really must have charmed you." Riku chuckled.

"She is the most beautiful sight I had ever bestowed my eyes on." Robin said. He wiped off the morsels of food from his shirt. "I can't help it. I love her, Johnny."

"Ah Rob, look why don't you stop moaning and moping around and just marry the girl." Johnny implied.

"Marry her? You don't just walk up to a girl, hand her a bouquet and say 'hey remember me? We were kids together. Will you marry me?' It just isn't done that way."-

"Aw c'mon Rob! Climb the castle walls, sweep her off her feet and carry off in style."-

"He's right Robin." Sora implied. "Express your love then there will be no denial after that."

"If you let this opportunity pass you up, you'll never have a second chance." Riku added.

"It's no use, fellows." Robin uttered. "I've thought it all up, it just wouldn't work. Besides, what do I have to offer her?"

"Well for one thing you can't cook." Little John said, sniffing the burnt stew.

"I'm serious Johnny! She's a natural born lady of quality!"-

"So she has class. So what?"-

"I'm an outlaw that's what! And that's no lifestyle for a woman like that, always on the run. What kind of life would that make for us?"-

"Ah, for heaven's sake son!" a voice shouted out, scaring the party. They looked to see an old badger friar standing there. "You're no outlaw. Why someday, you'll become a great hero."

"Who is that?" Donald asked.

"Oh, I see we have company." The old badger uttered. He shook the hands of the KH team. "Allow me to introduce myself, young sirs. I am Friar Tuck, the local member of the clergy. You might say that I'm the one who distributes the money to the people."

"Nice to meet you." Sora implied.

"You say that one day Robin will become a great hero?" Riku asked.

"That's right, young man. A great hero! When the rightful King, King Richard, returns, he will set things right and brand this outlaw as the savior of a nation!"-

"A hero, he says." Robin chuckled. "Did you hear that Johnny boy? We've just been pardoned."

"That's a gas." Little John said. "We haven't even been arrested yet."

"Alright, laugh you two rouges." Friar Tuck implied. "But there is going to be a big to do in Nottingham. The word is out that old Prince John is throwing a championship archery tournament tomorrow."

"Archery tournament, old Rob can win that thing standing on his head, eh Rob?"-

"Thank you Little John." Robin Hood replied, tipping his hat and bowing respectfully. "But I'm sure we're not invited."

"No, but there will be someone who'd be very disappointed if you don't come." Friar Tuck explained.

"Yeah, yeah," Little John said, "Old bushel britches, the honorable sheriff of Nottingham."

"No. Maid Marian…"-

"Maid Marian…?" Robin's heart began to pound.

"Yep, she's gonna give a kiss to the winner."-

"A kiss to the winner?" Robin suddenly began leaping for joy. "Oo-de-lally, c'mon Johnny, what are we waiting for!"

"Hold it there, Rob! Hold it!" Little John protested. "That place might be crawling with soldiers."

"Aw, but remember. Faint hearts have never won fair ladies!" Robin threw his had up in the air. He then shot an arrow with his bow. The arrow ricocheted off an iron pan, a rock, and the cauldron before flying skyward and hitting Robin's hat in thin air. The hat then landed gently upon his head again.

"That was cool." Sora said.

"Fear not my friends for this will be my greatest performance."-

"It's best that we keep an eye out though." Riku whispered to the KH team. "Knowing this, there might just be a ploy to capture him. It's best that we keep a close eye out tomorrow."

Night had passed quickly and the day of the tournament had arrived. There was great fanfare of the trumpets and the soldiers marched in a grand procession. To add, now there were now soldiers of the Midnight Faction who stood guard. They were posted in droves near the royal box. In the meantime, the rhino guards of Prince John stormed in unison before the surrogate king. Prince John sat on the king's high throne, which proved too big even for him. Next to him was Sir Hiss, dressed in an orange hat and cloak.

"Well, Hiss," Prince John uttered, "This is a red letter day, a Coup d'etat to coin the Norman fraise."

"Yes indeed, Sire." Hiss implied. "Your plan to capture Robin Hood is shear genius." Hiss heightened himself, confident of the plan, little knowing that he sat taller than Prince John.

"Hiss, no one sits higher than the king." He lowered his subject below his height. "Must I remind you, Hiss?"

"Oh do forgive me, Sire for not expressing my humility before you." It was at that moment that General Knives presented himself before the royal box.

"All troops have been stationed and the trap has been set." He said. "Now all we have to do is wait for our prey to reveal himself. I hope you don't mind if I seat myself for this upcoming military procession." He took the seat next to Prince John and admired the spectacle of the royal guards. This position, however, did not bode well in the eyes of Prince John, who found the general's actions insulting. Not only did General Knives not bow before him as he entered the box, or bother to stand at attention before the prince. Instead, he only walked in and sat himself down on the chair to the far left. However, Prince John did not dare to utter a word, knowing the position of power that the general took. After the military procession, the general stood up again. This time, he bowed respectfully, but indirectly at Prince John's side. "I take my leave, Sire. I shall continue to patrol the area for this insolent blackguard." He walked away without a second glance.

"How dare that man sit higher than the king." Prince John implied. "And how dare he not give me proper homage when he came before the royal box."

"Such insolence." Sir Hiss added. "He showed no humility when he sat down next to your majesty. In fact, he's had a scorn for you since our alliance was first formed."

"But then again, I am in no position to be badgering him about it." Prince John gazed at the soldiers in black who were stationed throughout the area. "I must have our alliance prevail. I can't gain control of this country without him. And I cannot afford to have General Knives turn against me."

"Then, you should do away with him, your majesty."-

"And declare war on the Midnight Faction? What a ridiculous notion."-

At the same time, Maid Marian and Lady Kluck were working their way passed the different color tents to the royal box. Maid Marian was ecstatic with joy as she had heard from Friar Tuck that Robin Hood was to be there, competing in the championship.

"Oh, Klucky!" she giggled as she danced about as if in a dream. "I know that Robin will be here. But how will I recognize him?"

"Oh he'll give you the hint." Lady Kluck replied. "That young rogue of yours is so full of surprises my dear." The two continued, not knowing that Robin Hood, Little John, and the rest of the KH team were watching from the thicket of trees. They had disguised themselves as peasants, except for Little John who acted the part of a nobleman. Robin Hood himself had dressed as a fiddle-legged stork.

"There she is, Johnny." He uttered as he emerged from the brush on his stilted legs. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"Cool it lover boy!" Little John said as he pulled Robin back into the bushes and placed a fake beak on his face. "Your heart's starting to run away with your head."

"Little John has a point." Sora implied. "We wouldn't want to blow our cover in such a hurry."

"Aw, stop worrying," Robin said, "This disguise could fool my own mother."

"Yeah, but your mom ain't here." Little John replied. He pointed out and there, the Sheriff of Nottingham came strolling through. "You got to fool old bushel britches." Robin only winked and, dressed like a stork, emerged from the bushes to confront the sheriff head on.

"Sheriff, your honor?" Robin spoke in a high squeaky voice to conceal his identity.

"Yeah?" The sheriff replied. Robin shook his hand hardily.

"It is a really pleasure. Meeting you face to face is a real treat, a real treat."-

"Well, thank you. Thank you kindly. Excuse me I got to go win this tournament." The sheriff wiped his hands on his coat not feeling comfortable with shaking hand of who he thought was a mere vagabond.

"He actually got away with it." Sora uttered.

"You wouldn't even know he was a fox." Donald implied.

"Come on, you guys." Riku said. "Let's mingle with the crowd."

"Alright." Goofy agreed. The KH team worked their way through the crowd.

"Hey, Rob's not a bad actor." Little John chuckled. "But wait till he sees the scene I lay on Prince John." With that, Little John emerged from the bushes and approached the royal box. In a high ranking tone, Little John introduced himself. "Ah, my lord, my esteemed, royal sovereign of the realm, the head man himself, you're beautiful."

"He has style, eh Hiss?" Prince John implied.

"You wouldn't mind if I called you P.J. would you?"-

"P.J. I like that! You know I do! Hiss, put it on my luggage!" Prince John gave a simultaneous snicker. "P.J…"

"And you…" Sir Hiss implied, rather brash. "Who might you be, Sir?"

"I am Sir Reginald." Little John replied in the best snooty accent he could muster. "Duke of Chutney." He then saw Hiss's serpent snake stick out. Taking the hat from atop the advisor's head, he stuffed it over Hiss's mouth. "And don't stick your tongue out at me, kid." Resuming his roll, Little John kneeled before the prince acting so humbly before him. Taking the Royals hand, he attempted kiss in respect, or so it seemed. "And now, your mightiness, allow me to lay some protocol on you."

"Oh no…!" Prince John said, pulling his hand away. "Forgive me, but I intend to lose more jewels that way. Please sit down."

"Thanks P.J. You can't get a better seat than this, the royal box." Little John sat himself on the chair in the far left of the box, right next to Sir Hiss.

At the same time, Riku and Sora, along with Goofy and Donald, gazed around the area. At every corner they turned, there were Midnight Faction soldiers standing on guard.

"Why the heck are there so many faction soldiers around?" Sora asked.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were getting ready for a big coup." Riku explained. "And Prince John will be too powerless to make a difference."

"If General Knives seizes power, he'll suck the population dry of their livelihood. Every scrap of gold, silver, and jewelry will go to funding the revenue of the faction."-

"And the funny thing is that the amount of revenue made here is barely at the 1 level."-

"Uh fellers?" Goofy implied. The KH team looked to see a company of soldier Heartless emerge from the ground. They spread themselves about, going on patrol.

"Heartless." Donald said.

"The Heartless must be looking for us." Sora said.

"We mustn't deploy our keyblades then." Riku replied. "Otherwise, it'll be our necks they'll be after. And we can't afford to confront Prince John as long as he obtains an alliance with General Knives. We have to somehow break up their alliance."

"But how do you know they will want to break up their alliance?"-

"A man like General Knives doesn't want an inept leader like Prince John to coexist with him."-

"Hey listen." Donald said. The four heard a sudden conversation emerge from behind one of the tents.

"I cannot afford to form an alliance with such an imbecile!" the voice shouted. The four hid in one of the vacant tents. They observed to see where the enraged voice was coming from. It was at that moment that General Knives appeared with one of his subordinates.

"It's General Knives alright." Sora said.

"That Prince John is nothing, but an incompetent royal with no responsible attitude except for the welfare of his own selfish pride!" Knives roared.

"I understand, sir." The subordinate agreed.

"The revenue we collect here doesn't amount to more than a single percentage level. I was only placed here to deter the keybearers from interfering with our main plans. I was hoping to form an alliance and gain vital information that might help us in our cause and to help strengthen our forces when the key bearers arrive, but there is nothing here for me to gain. Besides, this alliance was a mistake to begin with. That ignorant royal only wanted an alliance so he could seize power from his brother!"-

"Prince John is nothing to us, sir. Why not eliminate him from the picture."-

"That time will come soon. But my coup will commence as soon as Robin Hood is executed. That way, Prince John can be satisfied about his accomplishment before I kill him. To add, if the key bearers do arrive, they won't have the pleasure of forming an alliance with the bandit. It'll deprive them of the one individual that may allow them to gain a strong foothold in this world. Alert the troops, tell them to start the coup as soon as the bandit's head has been severed."-

"Yes sir." The two departed without saying anything further. Riku and Sora however had heard the entire plot and knew exactly what to expect.

"So, General Knives is planning to initiate a coup." Riku said. "This will be perfect for us to cause that rift in their alliance."

The trumpets blew and the contestants marched in respect before the royal box. Prince John, Sir Hiss, and Little John observed the procession. By now, Maid Marian and Lady Kluck had taken their seats in the royal box.

"I hope that you are enjoying our festivities, my dear." Prince John implied.

"Of course, Sire." Maid Marian replied.

"The finest archers in the land assemble to achieve the title of being the best."-

It was at that moment that Robin, dressed as a gangly stork, came romping up to the box, presenting himself before Maid Marian.

"Ah, your ladyship." He said with charm as he handed her a simple lily. "Begging your pardon, but it is an honor to compete for such a lovely lady like yourself. I hope I get the kiss." He winked at her in a playful gesture. Immediately, Marian knew who it was behind the mask. Recalling those familiar dark and beautiful eyes, she smiled.

"Why thank you my fiddle-legged archer." she whispered to him. "I wish you luck…with all my heart." Robin bowed respectfully and joined the other contestants at the firing line.

The captain of the guards presented himself before the royal box. In his hands, upon a velvet red pillow, he presented the golden arrow.

"Your highness," he said, "With your royal permission, we are ready to begin."

"Precede Captain." Prince John implied.

"Archers take your places. The Tournament of the Golden Arrow will now begin." The archers assembled at the firing line and made ready to open fire. There was a drum roll as the archers drew their bows. Then, almost in unison, they released their arrows and a hail of wooden projectiles hammered into the targets. For five minutes, the contestants released arrows until their ammunition was almost spent. Within that period of time, only two contestants stood out. One was of course Robin Hood and the other was the honorable, yet infamous sheriff of Nottingham, who came to closest to striking the bull's eye.

Robin however, despite trying to act as foolish and carefree as possible, could not help hitting the target's center at every draw of his bow. It was due to his continuous success of striking the center of the target that Prince John began to take notice.

"A perfect bull's eye." He uttered. "Well, well…"

"That's what you call pulling it back and letting it go, P.J." Little John chuckled.

"I know I'm gonna win that golden arrow." Robin pretended to brag, being highly enthusiastic. "And then I'm gonna present myself to the lovely Maid Marian."

"Listen scissor bill." The sheriff implied. "If you shoot half as well as you blabber mouth, you're better than Robin Hood."

"Robin Hood he says. Wow wee!" He slapped the sheriff on the back. "I'm tip top alright, but I'm not as good as he is." Robin once again drew his bow like an idiot and didn't bother aiming for the target. But despite that, his accuracy was deadly, striking the center of the bull's eye once again.

Riku and Sora continued to watch as Robin successfully struck the center of the target every time he shot.

"Doesn't he realize that he'll give himself away?" Riku uttered. "If he keeps striking that bull's eye dead center, he's gonna be singled out. Then no amount of disguise will be able to hide him."

"We have to warn him." Sora said.

"That's not a good idea. If we reveal ourselves, the faction will be coming after us. We need to turn Prince John and General Knives against one another. We have to leak out the information of Knives's coup somehow."-

At the royal box, by this time, Prince John's suspicions were starting to mount at the performance of this new archer who had appeared from out of nowhere. Little John, knowing the situation, began to boast the lad's talent.

"That kid's got class," he chuckled, slapping his knee. "Ain't he P.J?"

"Indeed he has, Reggie." Prince John clapped silently. "Bravo, bravo…"

"Archers, hold your fire!" The captain of the guards shouted. The contestants ceased their fire. The captain approached the targets and drew out the arrows from each target. "Attention everyone, the final contestants are the honorable sheriff of Nottingham." There was suddenly a great moan of detesting from the crowd as the sheriff presented himself. "And the spindle-legged stork from Devonshire." Immediately, there was a roar from the crowd. Great boasting and hurrahs for the young archer.

From the royal box, Maid Marian waved at the disguised Robin. Her gesture caught Prince John's eye.

"My dear," he said, "I suspect that you favor the gangly youth."

"Why yes, Sire." She replied. "At least he amuses me."

"Coincidently, my dear, he amuses me too."-

"For the final shoot out, move the target back thirty paces!" the Captain ordered. Soldiers moved one of the targets back thirty paces. The sheriff and Robin took their places. It was the sheriff who shot first and his aim was dead accurate as the arrow hit the very center of the bull's eye. The crowd detested the result.

"Well that shot wins the golden arrow, the kiss, and the whole caboodle." The sheriff chuckled. But as soon as he had uttered those words, Robin stepped up to the line and drew his bow. He released the arrow and with incredible results, he hit the very center of the bull's eye, slicing the sheriff's arrow in two. There was a great roar of cheering from the crowd. It was this final stroke, which proved to Prince John without a doubt it was the infamous bandit in disguise. Glancing at the captain of the guards, the signal was made.

"They know…" Riku implied. "Without a doubt, they know…"

Robin Hood waved to the crowd as he approached the royal bow. Little did he know that six rhino guards followed close behind him.

"My dear archer." Prince John declared. "You have shown great skill and talent today. It is here and now that you shall get what is coming to you…our royal congratulations."

"Oh thank you, your high and mightiness." Robin burst out loud, shaking the prince's hand. "Meeting you face to face is a real treat, a real treat." However, his acting did not fool Prince John as the prince already knew who he was.

"Release the royal fingers!" Prince John demanded, pulling his hand away. He then took his sword and posed as if to dub Robin. "And now I claim you the winner…or more appropriately…the loser." He suddenly slid his sword into Robin's coat and cut it in the back, revealing the bandit standing on high stilts. The crowd was shocked when they saw what had happened. "Seize him."

With that order, the six rhino guards tackled Robin, constrained him and bound him with rope and chain. By this time, General Knives had made his way to the royal box and witnessed the entire scenario.

"Excellent." He thought to himself. "Now Prince John will have no other choice, but to execute him and when that happens, our own alliance shall be broken and his severed head will be placed right next to Robin Hood's."

"I sentence you to sudden, instant, and immediate death!" Prince John declared.

"Oh no!" Maid Marian cried. She placed herself before the prince. "Please Sire, spare his life! I'm begging you, please have mercy."

"My dear emotional lady why should I?"-

"Because I love him, your honor."-

"Love him? And does this prisoner return your love?"-

There was a temporary silence as Robin and Marian gazed into each others eyes. Marian could only stare at those warm youthful eyes that she had known since she and Robin were children.

"Marian, my darling," Robin suddenly spoke, "I love you more than life itself." Marian's eyes filled with tears when she heard those words. It was without a doubt that Robin still loved her even after all these years.

"Oh young love," Prince John uttered most cruelly. "Your pleas have not fallen upon a heart of stone. The traitors to the crown must die!"

"Traitors to the crown!" Robin filled with a terrible anger, finding John's declaration to be merely an act of arrogance. "That crown belongs to King Richard! Long live King Richard!"

"Long Live King Richard!" the crowd shouted.

"Enough!" Prince John shouted, jumping up and down angrily. "I am King, King, King!" With a last sneer, he shouted out for execution. "Off with his head!" The sound of the execution drum began to bellow and the executioner, armed with a headman's axe began to approach. The people could only watch on helplessly as they saw the hooded man come closer.

"What a fool that bandit is." General Knives uttered to himself. "Shouting out that fiery declaration has only caused him to seal his own fate. But then again, it is for the best. Once his head falls, John's own will follow." But it was at that moment that he realized that Sir Reginald had disappeared. "Now where did that other noble bugger off to?"

There were tears in Marian's eyes. Not bearing to see her lover's head severed, she drew her head against Lady Kluck's lap and wept. Lady Kluck could only comfort her up to that point. It seemed that the end had come for the bandit and with him the hopes of the people. But then a change of fate occurred.

"Stop, executioner, stop!" Prince John suddenly bellowed. "Hold your axe!" The reason for this sudden change in heart is that Little John had managed to creep behind the royal box, directly behind the prince's chair. Grabbing him by the back of his shirt collar and holding a dagger to the middle of his back, Little John made his own threat on the royal.

"OK, big shot," he implied, "Now you tell him to untie my buddy, or I'll…" He dug the dagger into the prince's back. Prince John, knowing his life was in danger, began to plea for Robin's release.

"Sheriff, release my buddy…" Prince John said, "I mean release the prisoner!"

"Untie the prisoner?" the sheriff asked.

"You heard what he said, bushel britches!" Lade Kluck shouted.

"What on earth are you saying!" General Knives demanded. "Don't you realize that you have his life at your disposal! All you have to do is initiate that one order and Robin Hood's head will fall! Then your thirst for revenge would be completed!"

"I have to agree with the general, Sire." Sir Hiss implied. "You have been waiting all this time to capture Robin Hood and here's your chance to dispose of him for good."

"Give the order, Sire."-

"Just one little word and you won't have to worry about this upstart anymore." agreed the sheriff.

"Sheriff, I make the rules!" Prince John cried. "And since I'm head man…" He felt the dagger poke him on a sensitive spot on his back. "Not so hard you mean thing…" But Little John only dug the dagger deeper. "Let him go for heaven's sake! Let him go!"

"Yee hee!" Lady Kluck cried. "Love conquers all!" There was a great burst of cheers from the crowd.

"I don't understand this." General Knives implied to himself. "Just a few minutes ago, he was demanding for the bandit's death. Now he can't even stand the thought to shedding the blood of the one he despises?"

Robin had taken the chains and ropes off of him as Marian ran up to him. They embraced one another. He then gazed into her eyes.

"I owe my life to you, my darling." He said.

"I couldn't have lived without you." Marian replied. They embraced again so tenderly. This sudden twist of fate had the sheriff confused.

"There's something funny going on around here." He uttered. He noticed Prince John's posture and despite moving about, his head stayed in the same place the whole time. He went around the royal box to investigate. It was there that he saw Little John, holding a dagger up to the prince's back.

"OK, buddy." Little John uttered. "Now tell my pal to kiss Maid Marian, or I've just found a new pin cushion."

"Why you…!" The sheriff roared. He swung his sword, attempting to strike Little John. But Little John was too fast and managed to duck. He then nailed the sheriff with an upper cut to the jaw. However, the minute he released his hand, Prince John was once again free and his so called sympathy was transformed into burning aggression and hatred.

"Kill him!" he suddenly roared. "Don't stand there, kill him!" Robin and Marian were shocked at this declaration along with everyone else. The guards immediately went into action, attacking Robin. Robin pushed Marian away as he engaged in combat. Little John threw him a sword and the two engaged in combat against the guards.

"Damn!" General Knives implied. "A battle has ensued. If you wish to take revenge, cut the bandit down!"

"Yes, yes," Sir Hiss agreed. "Strike down Robin Hood, Sire!"

Prince John drew out his sword and attempted to strike from behind. But Robin easily saw the attack and with one strike, knocked the blade out of the prices hand.

"Don't hurt me." Prince John pleaded. "Please don't hurt me! Help!" He ran out of the royal box and hid behind and ale barrel.

"Your Majesty!" Sir Hiss cried.

"Such incompetence!" General Knives implied. "I will have to kill this bandit myself."

"Run for it Lassie!" Lady Kluck said to Mad Marian. "This is no place for a lady." Lady Kluck, using the golden arrow, engaged in battle against the sheriff and the guards as well.

Amidst the chaos of the confrontation, Riku and Sora could only watch on as the pandemonium spread.

"It's a fight, Riku!" Sora cried. "What'll we do!"

"The one thing that we can do!" Riku said. "We battle them! However…" Riku picked up two fallen swords. "It's best we only use our basic fighting skills. No magic, no energy waves, nothing that'll attract attention. We don't want the faction to realize that we're here yet."

"But that limits my own abilities." Donald said.

"Then find another way to combat these guys without magic!"-

"Let's go!" Sora cried.

The battle grew more intense as the guards continued to assault the small band of freedom fighters and their allies. Robin Hood tried his best to stay close and protect Maid Marian, Little John used his heavy staff to fend off the hordes of rhino guards, Lady Kluck and Friar Tuck engaged in battle as best they could, the peasants scrambled to an area where they knew they'd be safe, and the KH team fought off the bulk of the attacking soldiers coming in as reinforcements.

"These peasants are pathetic." General Knives uttered. "Faction soldiers, to the front!" Just as he had given the order, it seemed as if the enemy forces had increase in numbers by ten fold. Now, faction soldiers rushed in to fight alongside the royal guards to eliminate the rebellion.

"Great!" Sora said. "Now the faction is starting to battle against us."

"The majority of these soldiers don't know who we are though." Riku said. "Let's keep it that way until the time is right." Many of the soldiers who confronted the band of merry men were struck down suddenly and defeated. However, things would change once General Knives entered the fray.

Robin Hood managed to fend off thirty of the rhino guards, the captain of the guards, and the sheriff of Nottingham, but it was in confronting General Knives that the situation would drastically change.

"You are quite skilled, Robin Hood." The general implied.

"And who might you be?" Robin Hood asked.

"I am General Knives, leader of the Midnight Faction's 2nd legion."-

"So I finally get to engage in a one on one battle with the infamous leader."-

"You should know that you stand no chance against me." General Knives suddenly unleashed twin swords from beneath his flowing red overcoat. "You confront an elite member of the Blade generals."

Robin Hood, with his sword dawn, attacked the general, but Knives was too agile and too quick for the bandit.

"You are a fool." General Knives implied. "If that is the best of your fighting skills, then you really are in trouble."

Robin Hood fought valiantly against the general, but it was apparent how wide the gap was between their fighting skills. Robin Hood, who excelled mostly in archery, had little knowledge in the manner of sword play. General Knives could have easily danced circles around him.

"Why don't you stand still and fight me right!" Robin demanded.

"Awfully overconfident aren't we?" General Knives implied.

"Perhaps if you'd actually fight me head on, you'll realize that I'm more skilled than you think!"-

"I can't help put down a death wish. Very well, but you will regret ever emitting such a declaration." Suddenly, General Knives attacked head on, using his double blades to battle. He struck at Robin Hood with simultaneous blows. Robin had realized that he was entirely outclassed by this officer and could only use his sword to defend himself.

"Robin's in trouble!" Little John cried.

"I'll give him a hand!" Friar Tuck shouted.

"I don't think so, fat friar!" a voice shouted out. Friar Tuck looked around to see that he was practically surrounded by faction soldiers and rhino guards. "Lay down your arms." Friar Tuck, not wanting to lose his life in such a meaningless fashion, dropped his staff. Little John, unable to give further aid, could only continue fighting on his own.

Several other peasants had been captured and shackled and were sent back to the castle dungeon.

It was the KH team that continued the brawl and made it difficult for the faction and the royal guards to quell the rebellion.

"These guys are starting to get on my nerves!" Riku implied.

"I'm with you there!" Sora added.

"Don't give up!" Goofy cried as he smacked several guards at the same time with the flat edge of his shield. It was in the midst of this battle that they saw Robin fighting and losing to General Knives.

"Riku," Sora cried, "General Knives is fighting Robin!"

"I'll go to his aid!" Riku said. "Keep up the battle!" Riku lowered his sword and rushed to where Robin Hood was doing battle.

"Riku wait, I'm coming to help you!" But as Sora attempted to break from combat to follow his friend, he confronted the Sheriff of Nottingham.

"Sorry, kid," the sheriff said. "You'll have to get through me first!"

"Get out of my way!"-

"I think not! And I believe I should be more than a match to a whelp like you!"-

"Idiot! You don't get it do you!"-

"What was that!" Sora and the sheriff engaged in hand to hand combat. Heavy sword clashed with heavy sword, causing sparks to fly.

"What's the point of fighting me!" Sora said. "You have other enemies to worry about!"

"What are you blathering about, kid?" the sheriff asked. Sora managed to push the sheriff away after a temporary deadlock between the two.

"Even if you did win against me, you still wouldn't have extinguished all your enemies."-

"Enemies?"-

"One of your enemies happens to be the one man that your prince has allied himself with."-

"General Knives?"-

"That's right. General Knives plans to start a coup against Prince John and gain total control!"-

"You lie!" The sheriff charged again and the two clashed swords again.

"It's the truth! You really think that someone like General Knives would allow himself to coexist with a leader like Prince John! He only allied himself with you so as to find out as much information as he can about you! Now that he has acquired all the necessary data, that makes you and Prince John unnecessary to him. He intended to break the alliance when you killed Robin Hood. He only wanted Prince John to savor his revenge. Once that was over, he could kill Prince John and all those closest to him without knowing he owed any favors!"-

"How do I know that this isn't all some big story you made up!"-

"Why do you think General Knives has been acting rather dominant and rebellious at times, even though he is a mere general? He knows that you and Prince John are no threat to him! Not only was his alliance formed to help gain knowledge about you, but also to get rid of my friends and I? he has no intention of helping Prince John take over this country!"-

"And what do you and General Knives have in common?"-

"We came here to stop him!"-

"And who are you exactly?"-

"I am a key bearer!"-

"A key bearer?"-

"We're the ones that he's after. When my friend Riku aids, Robin Hood, General Knives would've already figured out who we are. Then there will be no need to conceal ourselves any further."-

"And why would he want to get rid of you!"-

"Because we're trying to help save this world from being taken over! Once the Midnight Faction has gained its dominance in this world, there would be o need for any other dominant rulers!"-

At the same time, Riku continued to work his way to where the battle between Robin and Knives was taking place. Robin Hood, by this time was being pounded by General Knives.

"Do you now realize the large gap between us?" General Knives implied. "You stand no chance against the likes of me!" With one final blow, General Knives broke shattered Robin's sword in half. Robin fell to the ground, his broken weapon laying next to him. "So much for the infamous Robin Hood."

"Sir!" one of the soldiers interrupted. He and another soldier had managed to capture Maid Marian. "We've captured to girl!"

"Excellent."-

"Marian!" Robin cried.

"Robin!" Marian replied.

"You let her go!"-

"And what if I refuse to obey?"-

"I swear that if you harm a hair on her head…!"-

"Stop there!" General Knives approached Maid Marian and plucked a single hair from her head. He then broke it in half. "You were saying?" He turned towards the guards. "I want her to witness as I bring an end to the life of her lover." General Knives drew out his sword. Holding over his head, he made ready to deliver the final blow.

Suddenly, a voice cried out from afar.

"Robin!" it cried. General Knives looked to see Riku coming straight at him. Pushing his way through the crowd of soldiers, he rushed to the aid of the bandit.

"And who is this reckless youth who wishes to lose his life at such a young age?"-

"Riku!" Robin cried. It was that single word that caused General Knives's heart to sink.

"What did you say?" he uttered, his eyes filled with shock. Riku leaped upward and landed before Robin, shielding him from Knives. "It's you! Noctin Tilandir!"

"That's right." Riku replied.

"But how long have you been present in this world?"-

"Long enough to know your real plan! You only came here for the sake of luring us away from the key worlds that were the most important to the faction. Yet, you are important to us because you hold the key."-

"Yes, yes, I am quite significant to you aren't I." General Knives lowered his sword. "My intentions in this world are absolutely meaningless. This world was just one of those unfortunate worlds that happened to be opened to the Heartless. Otherwise, there is no other significance about it. But I'm sure you already figured that out."

"Enough talking and let's finish this!"-

"Oh, that won't be necessary." General Knives drew back his blades. "I feel rather fatigued now. Let's call it a day shall we?"

"What are you talking about?"-

"In other words, we should battle next time, when I'm more in the mood."-

"Don't give me that! You'll fight me here and now!"-

"I refuse to do so."-

"Then, I'll force you to fight me."-

"Idiot, you try to force me and there will be some heartbreak today." General knives pulled out one of his swords again and held it against the tender, young throat of Maid Marian. "That is unless you want this young woman to die."

"Marian!" Robin Hood cried.

"Go ahead and force me to battle." Knives chuckled. "But you'll regret it if you do. We can battle if you want, but as a result for forcing me, I'll have to take this young maiden's life. And I'm sure that's not what you want. So go ahead and insult me, put me down. Pressure me enough and I'll draw my swords, but not after I cover one of my blades with this woman's blood."

"You monster…"-

"That's it, keep fanning the flames."-

Riku did not utter another word and threw down the sword he carried. He didn't bother to release his keyblade.

"We're withdrawing back to the castle!" General Knives ordered. "All units withdraw. Take all prisoners back to the dungeon. Leave Riku and that bandit here, but take the girl."

"Robin!" Marian cried.

"Marian." Robin uttered. He watched as the faction and the royals all withdrew from the field, taking his love with them.

"Riku, what happened?" Sora asked as he and the rest of the KH team came running to him. "Did you fight General Knives?"

"I couldn't." Riku implied.

"Why not?"-

"He had the blade at Marian's throat. He threatened to kill her if I dared to fight him. I couldn't fight him." Riku fell to his knees. "Have I really become that soft? Before, I would have fought him, no matter what the circumstances? Have I grown soft?"

"Riku…" Robin implied. "I think you made the right decision. If you had not restrained yourself, Marian would have been killed. I thank you for making the right choice not to engage."-

"It wasn't weakness, Riku." Sora uttered, kneeling next to his best friend. "I think you've matured in attitude and have realized that being soft doesn't necessarily mean being weak."

"Thanks Sora."-

"Well, now what do we do?" Donald asked.

"We're gonna get Maid Marian and the rest of those people out of the clutches of the faction." Riku said. "We're gonna rescue them."

"That's a good idea." Robin implied. "We should plan a jailbreak later tonight. The we'll…"-

"No…"-

"What do you mean no?" Goofy asked.

"Explain Riku." Sora asked.

"We won't plan a night raid on the castle." Riku continued. "We're storming the castle now."

"Why now?"-

"General Knives would expect us to plan a night raid, but he would never suspect a full out counterattack just after a large battle. His men are tired and exhausted, which will give us the edge."-

"But to attack a heavily guarded castle in broad daylight?" Little John implied.

"Little John is right." Robin Hood added. "That would be mere suicide."-

"When matched against our power," Riku chuckled, "They won't stand a chance, no matter how thick the walls are."

"Riku's right!" Sora shouted.

"Let's give the faction a fight to remember!" Donald cried.

"Yeah!" the KH team shouted.

"They've lost their minds." Little John said, "Attacking the high walls of a heavily guarded castle head on and in broad daylight no less."

"But then again, we haven't seen what they can do in battle yet." Robin implied.


	13. Master of Twin Swords PART I

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Master of Twin Swords PART I**_

Once returning to the castle, it was now apparent that there was a rift between General Knives and Prince John. There was sudden tension mounting between the two commanders now and it could be felt throughout the castle. General Knives sat in the counting room, pouring himself a glass of brandy.

"The key bearers are here now and I had no way of knowing." He thought to himself. "That worthless royal has allowed them to ally themselves with Robin Hood. Now, there is no guarantee of absolute success now. But perhaps I can change that. I know that Robin Hood is no match for me. But Riku and Sora may prove to be a much larger challenge. And if they manage to fuse together, I may have quite a lot of trouble on my hands." It was at that moment that two faction soldiers had brought Maid Marian and Lady Kluck.

"We have brought them as you ordered, sir." One of the guards uttered.

"Leave us." The guards left, leaving the two women before him. "You thought that you were pretty clever didn't you? You thought that by opposing us you'd be closer to your love. But that bandit has dared to oppose the greater power and must be eliminated."

"But Robin is only doing what he thinks is best for the people." Maid Marian implied. "He is only looking after their livelihood and wants to see them happy."

"Those peasants are of no concern to me. Their fates I could care less about. All I know is that Robin Hood has made it difficult for me to collect the revenue for the Midnight Faction. That is a slight deterrent for me. The faction could use free money and what better way to get it than to take it from those who are not worthy of having a life of luxury."-

"These people are poor enough as it is. A single gold farthing is equal to a king's ransom to them. They barely have enough money to pay for the homes they live in, the clothing that they wear, and the food that they eat. They starve every day. And ever since Prince John took over, he's been increasing taxes and causing severe poverty amongst the masses."-

"Well, if those people intend to die miserably, then they'd better get it over with and decrease the surplus population as soon as possible."-

"How can you be so heartless?"-

"Quite easily, my dear." General Knives stood up and sipped his brandy. There was a slight silence before he began to speak again. "This is what I shall do. I shall help increase the revenue back to the people and giving money back to them…" There seemed to be some hope behind his words, but it turned out to be a plan more sinister than expected when he finished his statement. "And I shall increase the take in of the money by the people by decreasing the population."

"What do you mean decrease the population?" Maid Marian asked. "In order to decrease the population, you'd have to…" Her eyes became filled with a great fear as she realized what he had meant. The sinister grin upon the general's face was too apparent. "You wouldn't…"

"I told you that the fate of the people is of little matter to me. I will decrease the population by executing the twenty-five people we took prisoner in the tournament rebellion. I will also execute Friar Tuck for insurrection against the faction." Knives sipped more brandy from his bauble. "Guards!" The two faction soldiers reentered the room. "Take these two back to their quarters. Keep them locked up unless I say so. And if they try to escape, kill them." The faction soldiers saluted and escorted Maid Marian and Lady Kluck out of the room. "I'm sure that ruffled their feathers a little bit."

Suddenly, Prince John stormed into the room, severely angry. He was accompanied by the Sheriff of Nottingham, Sir Hiss, and a dozen rhino guards. He presented himself before the general.

"General Knives," he shouted, "I place you under arrest for conspiring against the crown!"

"What on earth gave you that notion that I was conspiring?" General Knives asked.

"The Sheriff has told me that you were planning to engage in a coup against me!"-

"And how did he come to that conclusion?"-

"He was informed by one of our enemies. One of these so called key bearers that you had mentioned!"-

"And how do you know what the key bearer said isn't a lie?"-

"I have my notions! You are too domineering and your continuous lack of respect for me only points out that you are a man who wants the power all for yourself!"—

General Knives placed down his bauble and chuckled.

"You certainly are barking loudly aren't you, boy?" General Knives said. "But you didn't seem to be barking as loud when you had to confront Robin Hood. Instead, you ran from battle with your tail ducked between your legs." General Knives placed his hands behind him. "And a mongrel dog who dares to duck his tail between his legs and runs from battle should not bark!"

"How dare you…"-

"It's true. You only speak loud when you know you're behind your pompous guards and your think walls. But the spectacle earlier this afternoon has guaranteed that you are not much of a threat to me. You were right that I was planning to start a coup against you and seize your power. However, it is within my opinion that you must first have your own revenge fulfilled and that is by killing Robin Hood. When you allowed Robin Hood to escape, you might say that was a godsend on your part. Otherwise, if you would have executed him at the tournament, your head would have been laying beside his."-

"You mean you really intended to kill me and start a coup?"-

"Your revenge would have been savored and no one deserves to die without having their revenge savored. Only after that would I kill you." General Knives suddenly deployed his twin swords, swooped forward and held the blades to the prince's throat. "But if you would like, I can kill you now. Now your guards might butcher me, though I doubt they're skilled enough to do so, but I can assure you that I'll severe your jugulars before they even have the opportunity to draw their blades. Now you have two choices." He held the blades tighter against the prince's throat. "One, you can submit to me and declare me as the soul leader here, or I can just end your life and risk mass murder." There was tension within the counting room. But suddenly, Prince John turned to his men.

"Lower your arms." He uttered. The guards did as they were ordered and lowered their arms.

"You made the right decision." General Knives lowered his swords. "Now pledge your loyalty to me." Prince John hesitated, but managed to kneel before the general and pledge his loyalty.

"I swear absolute loyalty to you, sir." Prince John said.

"Excellent." He looked at the others. "And what do you all say?"

"We pledge our loyalty to you." All within the room kneeled before the general.

"Then your first act of loyalty is to arrest Prince John and lock him in the dungeon."-

"But I have pledged loyalty to you!" Prince John pleaded.

"No offense, but I can't allow someone like you smearing my reputation. Sheriff, take him away. And as a precaution, I will have my guards follow you to see if you are as loyal as you say you are."-

"Yes sir." The sheriff replied. As he assisted Prince John up, Knives snatched the crown from atop his head.

"This will be an excellent boost in our revenue." He tossed the crown upon the bags of gold. He then turned to the guards. "This is my first order as your new leader. Go to the walls of the castle and prepare for an attack!"

"Sir!" The rhino guards cried. "They marched out of the room towards the battlement.

"Without a doubt, we will be attacked by those keybearers and the bandit." He turned to Sir Hiss who remained in the room. "Make a declaration that Friar Tuck will be the first of the prisoners to be executed tomorrow. We'll make it a public execution."

"Executed?" Hiss asked.

"I will use that overstuffed clergymen as bait to ensnare Robin Hood and the key bearers."-

"Another trap?"-

"Of course, once my declaration of execution for tomorrow has been announced, Robin Hood will have no choice, but to save his comrade."-

"But hang Friar Tuck, a man of the church?"-

"That is the best way to lure out the prey, by providing bait. And that friar is fat enough to fulfill that roll. And once our elusive hero comes to rescue him that is when we strike."-

"An excellent plan then, sir."-

"You think so? If that is true, then you truly don't know how to read this man's thoughts. Once he catches wind of this, he will attack prematurely by initiating a jailbreak and save Friar Tuck. However, having concern for the people and their livelihood, he will have to fulfill at least four other goals. One is of course to save Friar Tuck, the second would be to save the twenty-five prisoners in the tower dungeon, the third is to steal the gold and return it to the people, and the forth would be for his own love confined in her quarters. Thus, he'll be confined within these walls for an extended amount of time. That gives us plenty of time to trek him down and capture him." General Knives picked up his bauble and sipped more brandy. "Now go and carry out with my orders."

"Yes General." Hiss bowed respectfully and withdrew from the room. General Knives was left alone in the room. He sipped again from his cup and smiled.

"By tomorrow morning, the key bearers and that master thief shall be dead and there will be nothing to deter the Midnight Faction from achieving its goal."-

Despite his plan being full proof, General Knives had not taken into account that the KH team and its allies would storm the castle by that late afternoon. The sun was already on the verge of setting and the entire countryside was silhouetted under a beautiful sky of deep yellows, oranges, and reds. The castle was heavily guarded and faction soldiers and royal guards, as well as a few dozen heartless were now on patrol. It was at this particular point in time, that one soldier gazed into the west. Looking at the town, he saw no one stir about, no one emerge from their homes. All was quiet on the western front and no suspicious activity was taking place. But then, something caught his attention. As he gazed at the main road, leading to the castle, he saw six figures emerged from over the crest of the hill. The six suddenly stopped and stood their vigilant for a minute, or two. The KH team had arrived along with Little John and Robin Hood.

The KH team observed the heavily fortified castle and saw dozens of soldiers seated atop the walls, most of them faction soldiers.

"So now what is the plan?" Robin Hood asked.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy, and I will distract the guards by concentrating all their manpower on us." Riku implied. "While we're doing that, I want you and Little John to rescue Friar Tuck and Maid Marian and fulfill as many goals as needed."

"But you'll be facing against at least seven hundred soldiers at the same time." Little John implied. "That's over hundred and fifty of them to every one of you."

"Don't worry about it." Sora chuckled. "We've faced far worse odds than that."

"Just let us do the fighting." Riku insisted.

"Very well." Robin uttered. "But what makes you think that you stand a chance storming against a heavily guarded castle."

"We have our ways."-

"Should we engage in a fusion?" Sora asked.

"That won't be necessary." Riku suddenly increased his power and seven fire balls emerged over his head. "These guys won't put up much of a fight. Besides, we have to stall for time as best we can." The sight of the fireballs over Riku's head was rather frightening to Robin Hood and Little John who had never seen such a sight before.

"How are you doing that?" Little John asked.

"Is it some sort of magic?" Robin Hood asked.

"More like our inner strength that can take shape into any element we please." Riku replied. "This little maneuver is called the Cinder Canister. It'll be able to blast giant holes in the outer walls like they were nothing." Riku deployed the seven fire balls against the west wall in several locations.

Suddenly, there was a series of loud explosions and the majority of the wall blew away, great masses of falling masonry landed upon the defenders.

"Alright, you guys!" Sora deployed his keyblade. "Let's go!"

"To the end!" Riku added, deploying his keyblade as well. The four attacked, leaving Robin Hood and Little John to slink under the noses of the defenders undetected.

This sudden attack on the castle was unexpected for General Knives who continued to savor the taste of his brandy. When the castle shook violently, he wondered if there was some sort of seismic activity commencing.

"What in hell's name was that?" he uttered. It was then that one of the faction soldiers ran into room.

"Sir, the key bearers," he cried, "The key bearers are attacking the castle!"

"What's that? That can't be! That's a complete impossibility!"-

"They've demolished the western wall!"-

"You lie! How could they demolish the wall without explosives! Explosives don't even exist in this world!" General Knives rushed to the battlements to see what had caused the massive explosion. Sure enough, as he gazed out, he saw the defenders fighting off the KH team as best they could. "But how in the world could they be able to defend themselves against over a hundred times their number?" General only sighed and then grinned. "Oh well, it's not as if the fate of those soldiers are of any concern to me. They're confident now, but sooner or later those two key bearers will tire themselves out. Once they reach me, they'll be too tired to continue." General Knives only turned and went back to the counting room to finish his cup of brandy, having little concern for the presence of the KH team.

By this time, faction soldiers, royal guards, and at least three hundred heartless, including a dozen behemoths, descended upon the KH team, but Riku and Sora had no concern for their fate, knowing that they were more than a match for them. Goofy and Donald, through their journeys with Riku and Sora, had vastly improved in their own fighting skills. In the process of the battle, they had done several acts of fusion to further increase their power and destroy the stronger of their foes, especially when it came to fighting against the monstrous behemoths that stood almost three stories high. To add, since their confrontation with the Cavendish Shinobis and the Imperial forces of the Dark Empire, Riku and Sora had excelled in physical and inner strength and had gained more destructive powers they would not have otherwise gained before when confronting the Heartless. Due to this powerful upgrade, there were instances that there was no need for temporary fusion. In the course of the battle, Sora deployed many of his more powerful elemental strikes such as the Tundra Canister, the Twister Strike, Lu Bu's Seismic Stomp, and the infamous Corona Flash Barrage. Riku did the same as well, initiating powerful attacks like the Iceberg Shurikens, Cinder Canister, Hurricane Slash, Shadow Decoys, and the infamous Musou attack. These widespread techniques were ones that easily did away with the enemy and put previously learned techniques to shame.

"This is too easy." Sora said, as he slashed through the ranks of the soldier Heartless. "It's so easy that it's scary."

"Don't get too cocky, Sora." Riku implied. "They still outnumber us a hundred to one and we need to conserve as much of our energy as possible."

"Concentrate all your devastating attacks on the bulk of the enemy." Donald shouted. "Take out as many as you can with one swoop."

As the KH team continued to battle against the defenders of the castle, Robin Hood and Little John had managed to slip by the masses of the enemy without being detected.

"Those guys are concentrating on Riku and Sora." Little John implied.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Robin replied. "After what I've seen them do, I'd probably concentrate on defeating them first as well if I were the enemy." Robin ran to the prison door and snatched the keys that hung from a small wrack just outside the barred gate. "Alright Little John, you free Friar Tuck and the others while I go for the royal treasury and rescue Maid Marian."

"Be careful, Rob."-

"Hey, it's me…"-

"And that's precisely why I'm worried."-

As Robin scampered off to rescue his love and return the gold to the people, Little John rushed into the prison. While entering, he was a door that had the saying _'Death for Treason.'_ It was without a doubt that Friar Tuck had been placed in that cell. He opened the door to see the fat friar shackled to the wall. Friar Tuck opened his eyes.

"Oh, little John," He said, amazed, "It can't be."

"I'm gonna bust you out of here." Little John implied as he unshackled hi comrade.

"Thank God, my prayers have been answered."-

The two quickly rushed out of the cell and started heading to the main cell where the twenty five civilians were being held prisoner. But as they did, they came by another solitary cell and from behind the door, there came pleas for help. Little John realized that the cell door had a small opening hatch, so one could peep in to see who was inside without unlocking the door itself. As he peeked in, he saw none other than Prince John sitting on the floor.

"Well, well, well," Little John chuckled, "If it isn't the phony King of England."

"Prince John?" Friar Tuck uttered as he looked in as well. "How did you get imprisoned?"

"You must've done something bad again haven't you?"-

"No it's not that." Prince John implied. "I was over thrown by that General Knives. He initiated a coup against me."

"By the way you act, I wouldn't be surprised."-

"Would you be so kind as to let me out?"-

"Nothing doing, I don't trust you."-

"I'll see that you are handsomely rewarded for you action."-

"Just so you can tax me out of my money again? Forget it. Besides, that reward money will only come from the pockets of the people. And swindling them out of their money is something that I refuse to take part in!" Little John turned away and continued towards the main prison. "C'mon Friar."

"I hope you won't take this personally, your majesty." Friar Tuck uttered. "But I've wanted to say something to you for a while now."

"And what is that?"-

"Get stuffed." Friar Tuck snickered and ran off.

"You fools, I'll see that you all hang for this!"-

The two reached the main cell and began to free all of the prisoners.

In the meantime, Robin Hood headed towards the counting room, where Prince John had placed all the taxes. As he rushed down the corridor and entered through the door, what he discovered was an incredible sight. There was a great deal of gold, much of it placed in bags while other coins were stacked high in little towers. The sight was a sight to behold, all that wealth and it all being spent for the sake of the rich and powerful.

"I guess I don't have to worry about the counting room since the gold won't be going anywhere?" Robin uttered to himself. He quickly rushed out of the counting room and dashed for Maid Marians headquarters. Upon reaching her quarters, he opened the door and rushed into the room. However, Maid Marian was nowhere to be found.

"Marian!" Robin cried. "Marian, where are you!" It was then that he heard a muffled cry coming from the closet. He opened the wardrobe door and found Lady Kluck tied and gagged. "Lady Kluck," he quickly untied her, "Are you alright?"

"Thank you, lad." she implied.

"Who did this to you?"-

"That scurvy louse of a general was the one what did it to me."-

"General Knives?"-

"Aye, he just barged in and tied me up. He then took Marian."-

"Where's Marian."-

"I don't know."-

"Come, let's rejoin the others." But as they turned to exit out of the room, they came across another foe, The Sheriff of Nottingham.

"Well, well, well," he chuckled, "Would you take a look at what I found here? It looks like the hero's trying to find his love."

"Where is Maid Marian, Sheriff?"-

"I don't know and I really don't care. All I care about is putting an end to your miserable life." The Sheriff drew his sword and held it against Robin Hood and Lady Kluck. "I've been waiting a long time to do this and now my time has come. After so long, after all this time planning and plotting, I finally get to savor my revenge. I finally get to eliminate the one great foe that has been a thorn in our sides for all this time. But now, standing here, I am now able to deliver the final…"

"Enough! Enough," Robin roared.

"Hey, it's not polite to interrupt!" But the sheriff realized that Robin and Lady Kluck had a strange glare in their eyes. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

Suddenly, the two snatched the sheriff and pulled him into the room. There was a sudden scuffle and the next instant, the sheriff found him self tied and gagged and thrown in to the closet. He shouted and screamed in muffled cries. Robin Hood and Lady Kluck just looked at him with that same funny look on their face.

"If you're gonna fight, then fight, don't talk." Robin implied. "Too much talking gets you nowhere."

"Just like a typical villain." Lady Kluck added. "They always monologue too much."

The battle outside soon died down as many of the faction soldiers and royal allies were slain by the keybearers. Others dropped their weapons and fled instead of being taken prisoner, fearing bloody retribution from their enemies. All Heartless soldiers, including the one dozen behemoths, were extinguished. The peasants rushed out into the courtyard and inhaled the fresh air of freedom. As they did, Little John and Friar Tuck, being the last ones to exit the prison, again passed the cell where Prince John was held.

"Will some one get me out of here." They heard him cry.

"I just can't stand to hear that pitiful sound." Friar Tuck implied.

"You're right." Little John added. "I'd hate to see someone cry for help like that, even though he is a no good, slithering, blubbering, weaseling, miserable, pompous old twit." He opened the little peeking hatch on the door. "Alright, John, we'll give you a hand."

"Aw, thank you, thank you." Prince John implied. Little John threw him the key that unlocked his cell.

"We're in a bit of a hurry though. So if you wouldn't mind, could you let yourself out?"-

"I can do that." The prince snatched the key from the ground.

"I'm glad that we came to a mutual agreement." Little John and Friar Tuck continued on their way. It was only after they left that the prince realized that his arm couldn't reach the lock through the little hatch. He was in fact too small to even reach the little hatch.

"Hello!" he cried out. "I can't reach the lock! Hello!"

Friar Tuck and Little John bawled out laughing as they exited the jail.

"I can't believe he actually fell for it." Little John chuckled. "Even though he has the key, it's worthless if he can't reach the lock."

"Mind you that was still a treacherous deed you conspired." Friar Tuck chuckled.

"Treacherous deed, or not, that was downright hilarious."-

At this time, some of the peasants had managed to retrieve bags of gold from the counting room and distributed it amongst the other grateful subjects. Robin Hood and Lady Kluck reunited with Little John, Friar Tuck, and the KH team.

"You boys certainly did an excellent job fighting the faction, the heartless, and the royals all by yourselves." Robin implied.

"This was a mere exercise session for us." Sora chuckled.


	14. Master of Twin Swords PART II

_**Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation**_

_**Master of Twin Swords PART II**_

"Quit bragging." Riku implied.

"We did it." Donald chuckled.

"Yeah, we did it!" Goofy added.

"It's not over yet though." Robin implied.

"What do you mean it's not over yet?" Little John asked.

"He took Marian."-

"He?" Friar Tuck asked.

"General Knives."-

"General Knives again," Riku said, "That guy's really starting to get on my nerves."

"Riku," Sora implied, "We still need to find General Knives and bring him to justice."

"He still has the key to deactivate the Apocalypse Cannon as well as the one piece to help rescue King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Daisy."-

"We have to trek him down now."-

"Aw, there will be no need to engage in such a hasty action, my dear boys!" a voice suddenly shouted.

"Up there!" Goofy cried, pointing a demolished section of the wall. The party looked up to see the infamous general, standing upon the destroyed walkway of the wall. In his arms, he held Maid Marian, his sword drawn in a threatening manner.

"General Knives…" Riku said with a sneer.

"I must congratulate you on your instant success over the faction in this world." General Knives said. "However, I have more important things to do than to converse with the likes of you. I have places to go and people to kill, so there is little time to be fraternizing." He presented Maid Marian to the party. "I suppose you are looking for her, bandit?"

"Robin, help." Maid Marian cried.

"Marian!" Robin shouted. "Knives, you let her go this instant!"

"There is only one way for me to guarantee success now." General Knives chuckled. "Only through her can I bend fate in my favor."

"You are a coward, General!" Riku shouted, "Hiding behind a defenseless woman in such a way!"

"Talk all you want, Noctin Tilandir, but talking doesn't get you anywhere, only through action can things be done."-

"So much for a powerful general," Sora scoffed, "hiding behind a hostage like that and you call yourself an elite soldier? Don't make me laugh!"

"What was that!" General Knives asked. "You say that I am not an elite general?"

"I'm not saying that. A man like you isn't even worth being ranked up as elite."-

"Why you…"-

"In my opinion, General Venti and General Gryphon were more elite than you." Riku added.

"How dare you…"-

"Just as I thought," Sora continued, "You're the hypocritical type. You say that you are elite, but when you confront danger, you back down with your tail between your legs and attempt to hide behind a hostage, using them as a shield."

"I would mind what I would say if I were you, Sora." General Knives implied. "If you and Riku carry on with these insults, I just might be tempted to end this woman's life."

"And once you do, who's gonna prevent us from killing you?" There was a slight silence before Knives began to speak again.

"You do have a point. However, even if you do manage to defeat me, you will still have this young lady's death to linger on your mind in the aftermath. You would have failed in protecting her from the very beginning." He held his blade to her throat. "Now if you don't mind, I'll be making the negotiating."

"Your actions certainly are ones of a true faction officer." A voice suddenly shouted. General Knives looked to see a cloaked figure suddenly appear near him on the walkway.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Where did that guy come from?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku added. He suddenly sensed a familiar presence resonating from the individual. "That energy level, why does it seem so familiar…?"

"You're right, I've sensed that type of power before."-

"And who might you be, who is so courageous as to risk your own life." General Knives inquired.

"Being a faction officer, you should already be familiar with my tactics." The figure uncloaked him self. Immediately, the face that they saw shocked both the general and the KH team.

"Is that who I think it is!" Sora implied.

"I would like to say yes," Riku said, "but I probably wouldn't believe it."

"Lord Lucien Exmortus Thundro." General Knives implied.

"It has been a while hasn't it, Riku and Sora." Thundro implied. "I see that you have excelled in your fighting skills, most impressive."

"Exactly how long have you been here!" Riku asked.

"I've been here the whole time, ever since you came in contact with Robin Hood."-

"If you were here the whole time, why didn't you give us some assistance!"-

"So far, you didn't need it. However, now that you have encountered a hostage situation, I figure that you might need my expertise."-

"I really hate it when he does that." Sora said. "Just pops out at the last minute when we really need him."

"But then again, I guess having him pop out of nowhere is the best tactic so far for us." Riku implied. "Thundro hasn't let us down yet."

"You two know that man?" Robin asked.

"He's an old ally who helped us when we confronted the Dark Empire six years ago."-

"I do not have a quarrel with you, my lord." General Knives. "Do not involve yourself in this affair!"

"I would suggest that you release your hostage at this time." Thundro implied. "Otherwise, there may be consequences for you."

"You dare to challenge me, Thundro!" He turned against the lord. "You come anywhere near me, and I'll see that this young woman dies!"

"A general as powerful as you hiding behind a hostage…?" Thundro pulled out his sword. "I've seen you fight and I can assure you that you are a true master of the twin swords. But you regress yourself to this level just for the sake of your own protection." Thundro made ready to engage with the Imperial Thrust. "It is because you fear death, more so than Lu Bu himself. But at least that warrior never ducked his tail between his legs and depended upon others to fight his battles."

"Silence, I will not have you lecture me as well!"-

"Talk is cheap then, I will just have to prove my point with the point of my blade."-

"You fool, do you truly wish to see this young woman harmed! If you dare to approach me, I can guarantee that this young woman will die today! And you will be responsible."-

"And what makes you think that I have a problem with that?' Immediately, Knives realized that he was confronting a warrior who did not allow anything to obstruct his goal. "That young hostage is a mere obstacle between you and me, so if she must die then I so be it. As an Imperial lord of the former Dark Empire and a member of the Death Lords, I have learned to extinguish myself of such petty attachments." General Knives, knowing what the outcome would be, lowered his sword. Maid Marian ran from him towards the stairs, leading to the main courtyard. But as she did, she confronted Lord Thundro. Thundro lowered his sword and only gazed at her. Suddenly, angered by the event, Maid Marian slapped him across the face.

"You think that you can just hold life so cheaply!" she implied. "Is my life not worth anything to you! You are a heartless beast!"

"I take that assault on my very personally, my dear." Thundro implied. "However, if I had decided not to intervene, your life would have ended long ago." Thundro turned away from her and continued to confront General Knives. "If you would like though, I could end it myself." Marian didn't dare to defy this most powerful of lords and withdrew. Robin Hood ran up to meet with her.

"Are you alright, my dear?" he asked, as he embraced her in his arms.

"Robin." She uttered.

"It'll be alright." He led her away from the danger zone.

"Now, let the true battle begin." Thundro said. He turned to Riku and Sora. "This fight will commence between General Knives and the two key bearers. No one is to interfere."

"Very well," General Knives implied, "I will dispense with these upstarts very quickly then."

"A little overconfident aren't we?" Riku implied as he and Sora stepped forward with their keyblades drawn.

"You overconfidence will be your downfall," Sora added, "Just as those who came before you."

"Be careful that you aren't too overconfident yourself." General Knives advised. He deployed his second blade and prepared to battle.

Immediately, Riku and Sora charged against the general. The three clashed blades and the confrontation commenced. But despite being outnumbered, General Knives conducted his fighting abilities with such grace and agility. Riku would always attempt a faint attack, pretending to strike, while Sora would attack suddenly from the flank, from above, or from below, hoping to cripple the General. The keyblades clashed and sparked with the glimmering blades of General Knives's twin swords. At one point, Riku and Knives were engaged in a deadlock as they were pressing their blades together. At the same time, Sora was ready to strike from behind. But as his keyblade edged forward, General Knives suddenly, used both swords to lock Riku's keyblade and with one swift twist he flipped head over heels just before Sora could strike. As he made the twisting movement, Riku was forced into the spin as well when his keyblade started turning. He fell to the ground on his back. As he looked up, he saw General Knives coming at him with both blades ready to thrust and impale his body. Riku quickly rolled out of the way. The twin swords slammed into the ground, causing a sudden sonic boom. There was a sudden pause after the impact. Riku and Sora rejoined one another and stood ready to go head to head with the general a second time.

"Your skills are impressive." General Knives implied. "I had completely underestimated you as you said. I am quite pleased with the results of this battle."

"We could say the same about you, General." Riku replied. "I thought that we had you beat and this would be an easy victory, but you certainly had us fooled."

"You can say that again." Sora added.

"I am glad that you have such respect for my skills. Unfortunately, however, a sense of respect is something that really doesn't count in the midst of a battle. Only in the end can perceive on whether you are a worthy foe, or if your opponent was worthy." General Knives sheathed his twin swords. "You are certainly experts when it comes to using your blades, but how well is your knowledge of the elements." General Knives suddenly deployed a barrage of ice balls against the key bearers. The two key bearers dodge rolled out of the out of the way, avoiding the oncoming ice spheres. The minute, the ice spheres made impact with the ground, they exploded and froze everything within ten yards of impact.

"The Iceberg Shurikens?" Riku uttered.

"You liked that one? Well how about this one!" General Knives then deployed a series of fiery spheres which he deployed as well. The fire balls came close to hitting the key bearers, scorching their clothing. The impact of the fire balls caused massive explosions and singed the ground. Particles of sand were turned into glass do to the extreme heat.

"The Cinder Canister too?"-

"How about a little bit of this to add!" General Knives jumped into the air and deployed the wind element as well. Three F2 tornados suddenly formed and began to spin around him, destroying everything within the surrounding area.

"He also knows the wind element." Sora uttered. "That attack was like the Twister Strike. But instead of one tornado, he managed to deploy three."

"How do you like that so far?" General Knives chuckled. "And this isn't the end yet. What you had just witnessed was only a sampling of the elements I'm capable of doing. But I can assure you that I have found ways to increase the power of these three elements even further."

"That was an incredible foot indeed," Riku said, "Unfortunately what you have just displayed are basic moves of those elemental attacks. It's not as if we hadn't encountered these maneuvers before."

"What do you mean?"-

"Meaning who do you think was responsible for blowing those big holes into the western wall of the castle?" Riku suddenly formed the seven fire balls over his head again. "That fire technique you just unleashed is almost similar to my own ability." Riku deployed his attacks against the general. General Knives quickly evaded the attack and a series of explosions erupted.

"Most impressive." General Knives chuckled.

"It's not over yet."-

"What?" General Knives looked to see that three of the seven energy balls were sill in flight and heading straight for him. "That's impossible."

"It's not impossible if you learn from the best. Unlike your elemental fire attack, the Cinder Canister fire balls lock onto the energy signal of your opponent and use it as a homing signal. So no matter where you go, or what you do, you'll never be able to dodge them. And even if you do, you'll get caught in the explosion."

"Very clever, very clever, however…" General Knives suddenly unleashed his ice element. Ice and fire converged and there was a massive explosion in mid-air. "However, I can always find a way to counter fire and ice and that is by using the one against the opposite."

"He's a lot better than we expected, Riku." Sora implied.

"Be careful, you two!" Goofy cried as he and Donald watched from the sidelines.

"I can see that both sides have strong knowledge of the basic elements." Thundro uttered in his mind as he saw the battle continue. "Riku and Sora have certainly come a long way since that trial against the Cavendish Shinobis."

"It seems as if our knowledge of the elements is about equal." General Knives implied. "But let us see how far we can get with the use of our blades alone."

"That sounds like an interesting challenge." Riku said. "Very well, then let's see how much you know about swordplay."

"I'm in there with you." Sora cried. The two drew out their keyblades again. General Knives unsheathed his twin blades. The two sides once again glared at one another. Suddenly, there was a smirk emerging of the face of General Knives.

"Let's change the rules a little bit shall we?" He then, taking the two swords by the hilts, latched them together to form a bladed staff.

"He converged both of hi swords at the hilt to make one weapon."-

"If you thought that I was deadly before, you have seen nothing yet." General Knives suddenly began to charge against the two. Now that his twin swords had become one weapon, he did not have to concentrate on the independence of two individual blades. His movements were in sync now and he appeared to have no vulnerable openings in his offensive and defensive maneuvers. Now he could make sudden thrust attacks and cause severe injury at very close margins. Riku and Sora had to change their tactics a little and try to outflank him somewhere. Unfortunately, the length of the staff allowed Knives to increase his striking distance as well as well as allow him self to protect the area within a 360 degree angle. The fought continued for ten minutes.

At this time, Robin Hood and the others could only watch from the safety of the castle as the battle continued to unfold.

"I don't believe it." Robin implied. "These men are in a completely different class."

"You're telling me." Little John added. "I've never seen such a spectacle before. These guys certainly know how to fight."

"Who do you think will win?" Friar Tuck asked.

"To tell you the truth," Robin said, "I don't know who'll win. Both sides are evenly matched in strength, agility, and speed. The uses of their weapons are flawless and seem to bear no openings, making them vulnerable. However, despite this, I will always favor Riku and Sora to win. They right now are the only obstacles that stand between us and total annihilation of our world. We must maintain our faith with the two key bearers."

"They will not let us down." Maid Marian uttered. 'Those two young men are fighting for the sake of our freedom. All of our prayers and hopes lay with them."

The fight continued, becoming more intense with every strike of the blade. Riku and Sora's abilities were now heightened to the absolute limit. But despite fighting with all their strength, they did not seem to break the offensive and defensive capabilities of this new foe.

"What's wrong, boys," General Knives implied, "Are you giving up already?"

"Not yet…" Riku said. He turned to Sora. "Fusion Sora!"

"Right!" Sora replied. The two converged to form a fusion warrior.

"What is this…?" General Knives uttered as he saw a new warrior emerge. "Fusion."

"Now let's see how well you do now." Riku's voice uttered.

"Now that we've merged, we'll be able to extinguish you for good." Sora's voice added.

"You two might have become one being," General Knives implied, "But you still have a long way to go in order to break my defense."

"Let us see which one of us is the true master of the twin blades."-

The new hybrid key bearer charged into the fray, both keyblades ready for combat. There was a sudden clash of steel and the sparks flew. By now, the sun had already set and darkness fell over the landscape, what illuminated the battle was the bright full moon in the clear sky as well as the burning debris that still lay strewn over the battlefield. The Hybrid commenced to continuously outflank the general with Riku and Sora's evasion techniques, teleportation and the Shadow Decoys. However, despite this, General Knives's battle instincts could detect when and where his foe would emerge next, for another ten minutes, the two went at each other. Finally, with one last strike, the two once again engaged in a weapons deadlock.

"Such is the power of the keyblade." General Knives thought to himself. "The strength of these boys are not their own. They would be nothing without the use of their keyblades." At the same time, Riku and Sora began to experience the after effect as they had pushed their fused bodies to the limit.

"He's tougher than I had expected…" Sora's voice implied. "he's even managed to push our fused bodies to the maximum level of strength."

"Its not gonna last at this rate." Riku's voice added.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light and the two warriors broke themselves away from the deadlock. But in the process, Riku and Sora were once again split up into two separate individuals. General Knives chuckled as he saw this small spectacle.

"Fools," he uttered, "Even when fused, you still had no chance against me."

"Well, it's been a while since Riku and I formed fusion." Sora shouted. "So excuse us if we're a little rusty."

"We just wanted to weaken you a little bit, that's all." Riku added.

"What do you mean?" General Knives wondered.

"It's rather simple. As a fused warrior, our combined strengths allow us to perform combination techniques we would not have otherwise been able to perform as well as contribute to the amount of strength the Hybrid will accumulate in battle. But the damage taken by the Hybrid and the energy lost by him have no effect on our individual bodies when Sora and I separate. We would have lost no energy and suffered no wounds. For Sora and I, the fusion technique is a way that we're be able accumulate spare energy to help fight our enemy."-

"In other words you use that technique for whenever you engage in a massive battle and require an extra boost of energy. Not only do you become a more powerful warrior, but you benefit by not loosing any of your strength by hiding in this one body. However, all these techniques are simply due to the power of the keyblades. Without those weapons, you wouldn't be able to fuse for perform all these techniques."-

"That is true. When Sora and I fought the Cavendish Shinobis and the Dark Empire six years ago, we did not have the luxury of having the keyblades by our side that time. So performing fusion, most magic spells, and summoning spells was out of the question. However, we maintained some basic spells and battle techniques that did not require the use of the keyblades. As well, we learned techniques that could heighten our own abilities in battle. So both Sora and I don't really need the keyblades. But when fighting against such mass numbers, or such powerful foes, the keyblades come in handy and at times are the deciding factor in out confrontations."-

"But I guess the keyblades are so powerful that no one person can bear them. Thus, you are not the true master of the twin swords because one an individual level, you can't handle the power of both keyblades."-

"Is that so?" Riku turned to Sora. "Will you care to do the honors, Sora?"

"If you don't mind it, Riku." Sora replied.

"Then give this guy one hell of a show." Riku threw his keyblade over to Sora. The sight of Sora holding two keyblades caused ripples of fear to creep down the spine of General Knives.

"That's impossible!" he said. "How are you able to bear the power of two keyblades?"

"You truly are a fool." Sora said as he walked to the battle. "Riku and I can bear both keyblades when we want to. The keyblades are simply weapons and are no more than that."

"Very well, since you are so confident in your own abilities, let us see if you can battle me on your own."-

"I'll be more than a match for you."-

"Then come at me."-

Sora launched his attack while General Knives remained on the defensive. The two engaged in combat once again. This time, General Knives split the staff in two and once again fought with individual twin swords. The sword techniques that each displayed was beyond comprehension and both were swift and agile in their movement, almost as if they had been rehearsing the battle for a long time before. Each knew the other's movements with extreme accuracy.

"Sora has certainly improved since the last time." Riku chuckled. "At this rate, he might actually pass me up."

Battle movements were precise in this confrontation. There were instances where General Knives was on the verge of cutting Sora, but Sora always managed to evade at the last moment. Despite the battle only lasting for three minutes, it seemed like an eternity to the eyes of the combatants whose very lives were in jeopardy.

"Quite impressive," General Knives chuckled, "You certainly have allowed me to see the truth in your strengths. I must say that I was fooled by many of your tactics, such as the fusion and the wielding of both keyblades. In fact, I did not imagine that you'd be this powerful."

"Thanks for that compliment." Sora added as he continued to battle. "I can't deny that I have found your strength and agility awesome, Knives. I was unaware that you had knowledge about elemental attacks as well."

"I respect you and your abilities, Sora. However, you and I fight for causes that are completely opposite. And I know that you will not change your mind for the sake of respect."-

"You are the same as I. You believe that your cause is the right one as well. That is why I can't allow you to win!" The two made one final strike with their blades before receding to catch their breath. "But I only know this, if I allow you to have your way, then I know that thousands, if not millions of people will suffer and die! So I will not back down to the likes of you ever!"

"That is correct." General Knives suddenly crossed his swords in front of him. As he did, his blades suddenly began to glow a deep blue. "The only way that you will ever back down is through death!" It was at that moment that General Knives unleashed a pair of sharp sound waves in the form of an X that cut through the air so smoothly and had a high pitch squeal to accompany it. Sora saw the sound waves coming at him as an incredible speed. He quickly evaded, but not entirely, the edge of the sound waves sliced his left arm and leg. He dropped one of the keyblades and fell to the ground. A gaping wound had been inflicted on his leg and he could barely move in now.

"Sora!" Riku cried.

"This is it!" General Knives chuckled as he went in for the final blow. He swirled both sword unhanded so that he could inflict a double stabbing upon the young key bearer. "Now die, Sora!" But as he did, Riku quickly intervened. Using his Iceberg Shuriken, he hit General Knives at point blank. The general went flying through the air, covered with ice, and slammed against the wall. The ice covered his body and locked him in a temporary prison. Riku ran to Sora's side to see the wounds inflicted. They were ghastly wounds and they were bleeding profusely.

"Sora…" Riku uttered.

"I'll be alright." Sora implied. "They can easily be repaired."

"Goofy, Donald, get Sora off the battlefield now."-

"We gotcha." Donald cried as he and Goofy rushed out to retrieve Sora.

"Hang in there, old buddy." Goofy uttered as he picked Sora up and placed Sora's arm around his neck.

"It's just a small cut." Sora mumbled. "Nothing to get all worked up about."

"Hurry and get him clear of here." Riku ordered.

"I'm an invalid now, Riku." Sora gave him the other keyblade still in his hand. "It's up to you to continue the battle and finish it."

"I'll finish this alright. I'll let him get his just deserts." Sora smiled and was assisted away. Riku picked up the other keyblade and prepared to do battle.

"OK, Knives, let's finish this."-

"Let me guess," General Knives implied. With all his strength, he broke the icy barrier that held him prisoner. He landed gently on the ground and brushed the ice particles off of his coat. "You intend on fighting out of revenge are you?"

"I never said that, did I?"-

"No, but after the severe wound I inflicted on your friend, I would think that you would be fighting now for the sake of retribution."-

"Sora will be alright. He's not gonna die from a cut to the arm and leg. So fighting for revenge has no meaning. The reason why I fight you is because I know that if I don't, you'll only continue to let these people suffer. And that is something that I cannot allow." Riku prepared for battle. "Sora started this fight and now I'm going to finish it."

"Awfully big words there, Riku, do you intend to back them up?"-

"Of course I do."-

"Then, let's have at it!" General Knives lunged with his twin blades, but Riku managed to evade by flipping over the head of his attacker. Riku rebounded attempting to strike from behind. But General Knives was crafty and turned in time to counter the blow. Then taking his twin sword in the left hand, he eased his tension and swirled around, hoping to deliver a fatal blow from his left. But Riku saw the blow coming and ducked just a hair's length from the sword's path. The two began to grapple in the most intense style ever witnessed. Like the fight between Sora and Knives, this new fight was just as intense. However, there was a slight difference in this fight. Due to Sora's efforts, General Knives became wearier in body and mind. While in Riku's case, he was entering the fray refreshed and rested, even though his reprieve was for only three minutes. It was still enough time for him to regain his stamina and study the movements of his enemy. General Knives on the other hand had confronted the Hybrid of Riku and Sora, followed by an intense battle with Sora himself. Now, Riku entered the fray, and without a moments rest, the stress began to have its effect on the general. But still, despite being more tired, he remained more than a match for the young key bearer.

"Even after engaging in two intense battles with no rest period," Riku uttered in his mind, "General Knives still has an incredible amount of strength. I wonder where he ranks amongst the other Blade Generals."

"You'll never defeat me as you are now." Knives chuckled. "Despite your strength, you don't know how to economize it and increase the time expansion of your endurance."

"You assume too much."-

"I do, do I? Then explain why you can't outdo me with such ease? A battle like this should be mere child's play for you."-

"I follow the traditional fundamentals of battle. One fact is know your enemy. You've already made some large assumptions about me, but that'll be a mistake on your part."-

"Is that so!" General Knives suddenly knocked the keyblades away from protecting Riku's body and he used the hilt of one sword to strike at Riku's throat. Riku gagged for a moment, but in that time, General Knives flipped behind him and slashed him in the back. Riku fell to the ground, his back dripping blood from the large cuts on his back. "Damn, that attack did not inflict as much damage as I had expected. You're better than I had hoped, you being able to dodge my attack in the knick of time. If you had delayed a hundredth of a second longer, my swords would have been able to cut through to your vital organs and might cause severe damage that may prove to be fatal."

"It was a mistake I refuse to repeat." Riku uttered. Blood dripped from his mouth. "There is no other choice, but to end this fight. If I delay any further, I might just initiate my own death."

"You needn't worry about that little trifle. I'll initiate your death for you." General Knives suddenly lunged himself again, but Riku managed to dodge the sharpened steel. The blade tore through the front of Riku's shirt, cutting through the skin across his chest. He spun and side kicked the general at the side of his head. General Knives fell to the ground. Riku regained his stance and stood ready for battle again. His opponent was quick to do the same. A stream of blood began to trickle down the side of his face right where Riku's foot had made impact. General Knives's facial expression had changed. He wiped the blood from the side of his head.

"Sorry about that."-

"I bleed…" General Knives sneered with a great amount of hatred. "I bleed! I bleed!"

"I know you bleed, you don't have to tell me. I can see it plain on the side of your head."-

"You little bastard, I've never bled for anyone! But now I am forced to shed my noble blood to keyblade scum like you! You will pay for this insult!"-

"What, I just cut you a little and now you intend to put me out of my misery?"-

"I've never shed blood in battle before! This is an ultimate disgrace and it is a disgrace that I will erase with bloody retribution."-

"Not good, you're getting emotional. And expressing such blind, empty emotion will blind your judgment. In the end, you'll only bleed more and more!"-

"Silence you! I will finish this!"-

"Not if I finish it first."-

"Die you bastard!" General Knives unleashed another devastating attack. "Try this on, my Multi-Slash Spin!" General Knives began to spin like a top and from that spin, several devastating air pressure waves flew through the air. Riku dodged each of the energy slashes. Some cutting him on the arms and legs in the process, but no severe damage inflicted.

"Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that!" Riku chuckled.

"You think it's over!" The general suddenly unleashed that same attack he used on Sora, the X Slash attack. But due to his raw emotion, Knives deployed his attack too late. Riku saw the attack coming and leaped up into the air. The energy waves passed by harmlessly and Riku continued his assault. General Knives, however, saw the next attack coming as the key bearer came swooping down on him. He unleashed the Multi-Slash Spin attack at an upward angle. But Riku evaded the attack again, landing upon the ground even closer to the general. "Stand still you little maggot!" General Knives deployed the same attack again, but again, Riku jumped up to evade. This time, the general knew what to do and attacked with the X Slash attack. "It's over for you!"

But as he formed to attack, Riku threw one of the keyblades at his feet. General Knives leaped back, evading the strike.

"Nice try, boy," Knives chuckled, "But not good enough!" But as Riku landed, he suddenly leaped forward. Then will all his might, he launched the one attack he had picked up from Kenshin Himura in the 'Rurouni Realm,' the Kuzu Ryu Sen. General Knives, not able to dodge the attack, was struck at all nine points. In an instant, after a series of bright flashes, Riku had passed by General Knives, his keyblade still erected in front of him. General Knives was still in a protective stance. There was a slight pause before Riku stood up and lowered the keyblade.

"Now, it's over." He uttered.

"Why…must I die like this…?" Knives spoke before falling to the ground. His body lay upon the ground. Riku turned to see his fallen foe.

"The young man has concluded the battle." Thundro implied to himself, watching from the demolished walkway of the wall.

The people began to emerge from the safety of the castle's inner structures.

"That was incredible." Robin Hood said as he walked up to Riku.

"You used the Kuzu ryu sen to finish him off eh, Riku?" Sora said. His foot and arm mended and bandaged.

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku implied.

"I'll be alright. Thanks for taking him out for me." Sora limped off towards Riku. "You've been wounded too I see."-

"These are just scratches." Riku retrieved Sora's keyblade. "I think you might need this." Sora grasped at his keyblade and both key bearers withdrew their weapons.

"Man, oh man," Little John said, "I never would have thought that I would see the day when two young men would manage to take down a fortress all by themselves."

"Your skills are quite impressive." Robin Hood implied.

"Because of your skill and dedication to your cause," Maid Marian added, "You have saved out world from oppression and perhaps total destruction."

"It was nothing." Sora chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Sora," Riku implied, "Don't forget, we still need to seal this world."

"That's right."-

"But I wonder where we can find the keyhole?" Goofy wondered.

"Maybe we just have to look around." Donald said.

"Or maybe, we just have to find the right door." Riku pointed to the main gates of the castle. As they gazed at the main gates, a sudden glow emerged from out of the wood and the shape of a keyhole appeared before them. Riku and Sora approached the door and with their keyblades drawn once again, they deployed the locking beam which sealed the door for good. There was a bight glow from the keyhole and once the locking sequence had ended, the keyhole's glow diminished and only the outline of it remained, embedded in the wood of the gates. "This world has been sealed, forever this time. From this day forward, the Heartless shall never step foot in this world again."

"Fellers," Goofy shouted, "Look!" Riku and Sora turned. They suddenly saw the body of General Knives begin to glow in a bright light. Suddenly, from out of his still body, two energy spheres emerged. The key bearers approached the icons and took each of the two glowing spheres. Instantly, they had achieved another new technique. Riku had gained the infamous X Slash and Sora gained the Multi-Slash Spin.

"New techniques." Riku said.

"Riku." Sora pointed as three other items emerged from the body, perhaps from a coat pocket. One was a piece of the puzzle, which would help rescue King Mickey, the second was the deactivation card, and the third was a summon stone with the picture of a pink bubble engraved in it. "A summon stone as well."

"We'll have to visit Merlin and the Fairy Godmother in Traverse Town later to see if they can unleash the new summon spell for us."-

"And we have the first piece of the puzzle and the deactivation card to go with it as well."-

"Very well done boys," Thundro said as he descended upon the party, "Very well done indeed. I can see that you have vastly improved since you fought the Cavendish Shinobis. However, your physical strength has diminished quite significantly. But that has no meaning if you have the experience."

"It's been a while hasn't it, Lord Thundro." Sora implied.

"Exactly what are you doing here anyway?" Riku asked.

"I have been requested to give this to you." Thundro said. He pulled out a bag and gave it to Sora. "Goten said that you might need this for later." Sora opened the bag.

"Senzu beans!" he said. "A full bag of them too!"

"There are at least thirty in all. But Goten informed me that these beans have been concentrated ten fold, so one half of the bean should be more than enough to restore your strength and heal your body." Riku took out one bean and split it between Sora and himself. They ate their half and instantly after swallowing, their wounds were healed and their energy replenished.

"Thanks Thundro." But Thundro only turned and walked away.

"Just because I gave you a hand doesn't mean that I'll be coming to rescue you again."-

"Then why bother helping us?" Riku asked.

"The only reason why I help you is because Goten holds you in such high esteem. He says that you're the best thing to happen since his father and Vegeta became the so called saviors of the universe." Thundro took no further glance. "I wish you the best of luck." With that, he flew off into the distance, disappearing into the night sky.

"Still the same charming guy as ever."-

"I hope I'm not drastically changing the subject," Donald implied, "But we should get back to the gummi and make preparations for the next destination."

"You're right." Sora added. "We should get going." He turned to Robin Hood and his companions. "Well, it looks like duty calls, Robin."

"We just want to thank you on all that you have done for us." Robin Hood said. "You have made our homes safe once again."

"What do you intend to do now?"-

"We'll be rebuilding our home and the gold collected will be distributed back to the people."-

"What about Prince John?"-

"Don't you worry about him," Little John implied. "We'll make sure that he, the sheriff and Hiss are all kept under lock and key until King Richard returns."

"Thank you." Robin Hood said. He held out his hand. "We are eternally indebted to you."

"We only wish we could do more." Riku said. The two shook hands.

"Good luck on your trek, my friends." With a final glance, the KH team departed back to the gummi ship that still awaited them in Sherwood Forest.

Once returning to the ship, Donald made some quick analysis of the deactivation card. After a few seconds of scanning the info through the main computer, he came to a conclusion.

"Well, it's confirmed," he explained, "This data card helps to deactivate the model one apocalypse cannon."

"And where do we find the model one?" Sora asked.

"The apocalypse cannon is located within the Deep Jungle."-

"Then that's where we go next."-

"Then buckle yourselves in fellas!" Donald ignited the rockets and the gummi ship blasted off out of Sherwood and into the night sky.

While in the ship, Sora noticed that Riku seemed rather quiet and dazed, gazing out at the stars, which streaked passed the windows of the gummi's cockpit.

"Riku?" Sora uttered as he placed his hand upon his friend's shoulder. Riku was suddenly awoken from the daze. He looked at Sora.

"Oh, sorry Sora." Riku replied.

"You look like you have something on your mind."-

"Well…"-

"Tell me about it."-

"To tell you the truth, I was just thinking about the Phantom Lord, Sirius Viicous."-

"What about him?"-

"I'm still trying to think about where I've sensed that power before." Sora only smiled and rubbed Riku's shoulder, followed by a hardy slap.

"Well, I really wouldn't worry about it, Riku. Whoever, he is, we'll find out sooner, or later. You know the old expression. 'We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.'"-

"I guess you're right."-

"Don't stress yourself out, dwelling on that idea, Riku." Donald said. "Just focus on the matter at hand. We'll all need to be in top mental condition when we reach the Deep Jungle. I suggest that you and Sora get some sleep.

"You do have a point. No use in trying to worry over small issues like that." All was quiet again in the gummi ship, spare for the surround sound music that was playing, compliments of Goofy. But even so, despite the advice given to him by his friends, Riku still had a nagging feeling that he just couldn't shake. He only gazed out into space, pretending so sleep and quietly he thought to himself of this new foe and where and when he had encountered him before.

"The energy I sensed from him." Riku thought to himself. "That guy…Sirius Viicous. Where have I sensed that particular energy signal? I know that he's a new foe, but his attitude, his energy, and his gestures seem so familiar to me. Who could he be? I don't want to worry my friends about this. But this is a personal issue that I must resolve myself." His eyes slowly closed and the streaks of light became more blurred and faded. "I'm probably stressing out over nothing." With that, Riku's eyes closed and fell into a deep sleep.

The next destination…The Deep Jungle.


End file.
